Nothing On Earth
by greenconverses
Summary: By society's standards, they could never be together - Lily was wealthy and already engaged. James was London street trash. When they meet on board the RMS Titanic, the connection is instant and soon, nothing can keep them apart...except maybe an iceberg.
1. Chapter One

**Author's Notes: **The first thing I would like to say is that there is going to be NO MAGIC in this fic and all the characters (even the ones that should be wizards) are Muggles, which is the reason why I labeled it AU. My reason for revoking magical powers are simply because there'd be no plot if any of the main characters were magic. So if you don't want to read a fic where the basic elements of Harry Potter have been eliminated, you better stop now. Second, this fic is loosely based on the movie, _Titanic_. Some of the scenes _will_ be similar to the movie, but they aren't copied word for word. I've added in canon information, sub plots, etc. here and there, so this fic stills retains HP characteristics, is original, and isn't a complete rip off the movie. The characters Jack and Rose _will_ be mentioned periodically, but they aren't main characters. Lastly, I'd like to thank my beta reader AmethystPhoenix because without her, I'd probably be sunk! (Bad pun. Sorry)

Since I've probably scared all you readers away, I'll quit my ramblings and get onto the fic.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Harry Potter or James Cameron's _Titanic_.

**Chapter One**

_April 10th, 1912_

_11:15 AM_

_Southampton, England_

"Lily, we really must get going!"

Lily Evans cringed at the sound of her sister's high-pitched voice (which was still quite painful to hear even through a solid door) and called back, "I'll be out in a minute, Petunia! I just need to find my gloves!"

There was a large sigh of exasperation from the other side of the door, but Lily ignored it and hurriedly ran to one of the numerous trunks that were stacked in her room. She threw it open and began to search through the many articles of clothing for a pair of gloves to match her outfit. While she was searching, her fiancé – who was waiting with Petunia in the hotel suite's sitting room – began to pester her too.****

"Darling, you're going to make us - "

He was cut off by a blast of noise from outside that was so loud, it rattled the windows and made Lily wonder if she was going to have any hearing left by the time they got to the docks. She paused her search for the elusive gloves and walked over to the windows to look in the direction of the source of the noise.

Of course, the source could only be a ship; they were in Southampton, after all. But it wasn't just _any _ship that had just blared its steam whistles. It was the RMS_ Titanic_ – pride of the British shipping industry – that had been blaring its whistles so loudly and obnoxiously all bloody morning long, just so it could remind the whole of Southampton that it was sailing day.

Lily frowned when she caught sight of the colossal ship (which wasn't that hard, considering it towered over all the buildings in Southampton) and muttered, "I know we're running late! I don't need _you _to be reminding me of it too!"

"_Lily_ - "

"I'm hurrying!" she replied, walking back to her trunk and searching once more. After a minute**,** she found her gloves and closed the lid. She pulled them on, walked out of her room, and into the sitting room.

"I'm ready."

Petunia Evans-Dursley hardly glanced at her sister as she hurriedly ushered some porters into Lily's room so they could take her luggage down to the motorcars. Her husband, Vernon Dursley, grunted rather disinterestedly upon hearing Lily's voice and paid her no mind otherwise. Lily's fiancé Lucius Malfoy, however, looked up from the newspaper he was reading, and scowled when he caught sight of her.

"At last. I was beginning to think we'd never…" he trailed off as he looked her over. "What on earth are you wearing, Lily?"

Lily looked down at herself. She was wearing a very stylish, two-piece pinstripe suit, which she had thought made her looks stand out a bit more than they usually did.

"It's a suit, Lucius," she said, glancing at him questioningly.

"I can see that, but it's black," Lucius replied, before returning to his paper. "Go change."

"What?" she asked, gaping at him. Was this coming from the same man who had wanted her to hurry this along only minutes ago? "But I like this outfit!"

"Wearing black on sailing day is bad luck, darling."

"I don't have the time to change - "

"If your sister helps, we'll have enough time to get down to the docks."

Petunia, who had just rushed back into the sitting room at the sound of an argument, sighed dramatically and agreed, "Quite right, Lucius. Now come on, Lily. I've already got another outfit picked out for you."

"I look fine!" Lily exclaimed angrily, as Petunia led her back into her room. "You've both gone completely mad! I can't believe _you_ - "

The combined noise of another blast from _Titanic_'s whistles and the hotel room's door snapping shut drowned out Lily's protests.

* * *

"All right, which one of you blokes has yet to play and lose to me?" James Potter boasted, as he leaned back in his chair and shuffled his stack of cards. The rest of the people gathered at the Southampton pub (less than usual amount, as it was only nearing noon) glanced at him with amusement, but no one stood up. James frowned rather disappointedly, but looked back at the four other men still seated at his table and asked, "Well, do you gentlemen feel up to another round?"

All four of the men were obviously not British and two of them didn't even speak English, but they were good company.James could also beat them at poker, which was what really mattered.

"I'm up to it," the blonde man – an American – across the table said (James couldn't remember what his name was; either he'd already had too much to drink or the American hadn't disclosed it). He looked over to his Italian friend and asked, "What do you say, Fabri?"

The Italian replied in some garbled English that James couldn't decipher, and the American nodded his agreement. James took that as a sign that they were ready to play, and he turned to look at the other two at the table. Both men looked at each, shrugged, and then nodded. The only time they spoke was to talk to each other, and it was in Swedish, so James could never tell if they were insulting him or each other.

"All right then," James said, shuffling the cards once more before setting them down. He took a cigarette out of his coat pocket, put it in his mouth, and lit it up. "Bets on the table, and then I'll deal."

"Prongs, you're starting another game? Don't you think we should get going?" an incredulous voice asked from behind him.

James leaned his head back over the chair to see Remus Lupin sitting on a barstool nearby, watching him with a look of exasperation on his face.

"'Course I'm starting another game, Moony. I've been having a great day so far; why should I stop now?" he asked, before taking a long drag on his cigarette and blowing the smoke out.

Remus was about to reply when _Titanic_ blared its whistles once again. The glasses on the shelves behind the bar all wobbled and clanked together, and Remus sent an annoyed glare out the pub window where the ship could clearly be seen a few blocks away.

"_That's_ why we have to get going," Remus replied, jabbing an irritated thumb out the window. "Otherwise we're going to miss it."

James glanced at his friend and then at the clock above the bar. It was eleven fifteen.

"According to that, we've still got forty-five minutes before _Titanic_ leaves," James exclaimed happily, before turning back to his poker companions. They had been busily collecting their bets while he had been talking, and all of them had a small pile of coins or trinkets in front of them. All of them, that is, except for one of the Swedes. James took a long drag on his cigarette before saying, "Oy, Olaf. Where's your bet?"

The Swede muttered grumpily under his breath, and James could tell from his tone that he had already lost all of his money from their previous matches. He grinned and then continued to pester the other man, "Got anything to bet or are you just going to sit here and watch me take all your partner's money too?"

"Oh, leave him alone," the American piped up. He took a swig of his drink and then continued, "If he doesn't have anything to bet, then we'll just play without hi - "

All of them jumped in surprise when Olaf banged two pieces of paper on the table. As he drew his hand away, James leaned in to see what he had found to bet with. On the table were two tickets for _Titanic_.

"Now there's a nice bet," James commented, as the American whistled in surprise. The other Swede made a choked noise and glared at his companion. "Too bad I've already got me one of those. Guess they'll go to waste once I win."

"_If_ you win," the American corrected, eyeing the tickets appraisingly. "I'm starting to feel pretty lucky right about now."

James rolled his eyes as he dragged up some of his own coins and placed them on the table. He was dealing the cards when _Titanic_'s whistle blew again, louder than ever.

"Jesus Christ, how many times are they going to blow those damn things? We already know the bloody ship's leaving today!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands over his ears in annoyance. "They're going to burst my eardrums soon!"

"We won't have to listen to it much longer, will we lads?" the pub keeper commented, and a few of the locals at the bar nodded in agreement. "She's leaving port at noon, after all."

"That's still long enough time for me to lose my hearing," Remus muttered, glancing at the clock.

The pub keeper followed his eyes, frowned, and then exclaimed, "I thought I told Harcher to rewind the clock this morning!"

James paused mid-deal to look at the pub keeper questioningly. "What do you mean, rewind the clock?"

"What do you think I mean, lad? It's running behind again, at least by twenty minutes or so."

James's cigarette dropped out of his mouth. He and Remus exchanged glances and Remus dug through his pockets to find his pocket watch. He took one look at it and then leapt to his feet.

"She's leaving in fifteen minutes, James!"

"Shit!" James exclaimed loudly, dropping his cards and quickly scooping his poker winnings into his carpetbag.

The Swedes began to make noises of protest at his abrupt movement, but the American calmed them down by saying, "Boys, boys! We're still playing; it's just that our Brit friend is taking a leave of absence. Betters our chances of actually winning, doesn't it?"

"Looks like your lucky feelings came in handy," James replied with a grin. He jammed his hat over his unruly black hair and picked his carpetbag off the floor. "Hope to see you on board the _Titanic_, Mr…?"

"Dawson. Jack Dawson."

"Well, good luck to you, Mr. Dawson," James continued, nodding at him.

"Let's go, James!" Remus exclaimed, grabbing his friend by the shoulder and leading him out of the pub.

Before they were out the door, James turned around and called out to the whole pub, "It's been swell, gentlemen, but I really must get going! Remember, if you ever come to America and need your arses beat at poker you know who to look for!"

"Hurry up, you prat!"

James waved them all goodbye and then hurried down the street after Remus.

"I wouldn't worry about being late!" the pub keeper called after them with a laugh. "I'm sure once they know you lot are coming, they'll wait for you!"

* * *

The dock surrounding the _Titanic_ was swarming with people, most of who weren't even passengers. Many of them had just come to marvel at the great ship and witness the start of her maiden voyage. The rest had come to see off friends or relatives and were waving heartily at the passengers gathered on the Boat Deck.

Cargo was still being loaded, and many hands rushed about on the docks and on the ship trying to get everything in place. Among the cargo was a fabulous, burgundy Renault, and it was being lowered into one of the holds by a crane.

In all of this hustle and bustle, Lily's company finally arrived in a gleaming white Renault, and following was another car that held their servants and luggage. The Renault stopped close to one of the cargo loading areas, and the driver got out and opened the car door for Lily.

The driver helped her down, and she took a good look at her surroundings. She was now dressed in a more 'acceptable' outfit: a long sleeved, high collared, cream-colored tea dress. There was an obnoxiously decorated hat perched on her head, (one which she had refused to wear until Petunia had forced it on her head) and she was obviously in a bad mood after that episode.

It had taken longer than expected to get her changed. She had argued with Petunia over the dress, (for she had felt it made her look too old) and then they had to quickly redo her hair because the style she had been wearing previously wouldn't look good with her hat. By the time everything and everyone had been loaded up, tempers were running high and quite a few porters had been yelled at.

Lucius stepped out of the Renault after her, and he looked in a slightly better mood once he saw _Titanic_. He was wearing simple - but expensive - brown suit and a bowler hat was covering the top of his head. His unusually long blond hair was tied back, and he was carrying his cane.

She turned, looked at him uninterestedly and then at the giant ship that was looming over them. It had to be the biggest thing she had ever seen; she would've had to crane her neck to take in all of it.

"So this is the _Titanic_?" she asked, an annoyed tone to her voice. She looked over her shoulder at Lucius. "I thought she'd be a bit more…_extravagant_ from the way you were talking about her."

"The _Titanic is_ extravagant, Lily!" Lucius exclaimed, with the pride of a host providing a special experience. "She has squash courts, a swimming pool, and even Turkish baths."

"It doesn't look any bigger than the _Mauritania_," Lily replied, indifferent to this new information, although she privately thought that was impressive.

"_Titanic_ is far bigger than the _Mauritania_," Vernon grunted from behind them as he got out of the Renault. "And much more luxurious."

He turned to help Petunia out of the car. She stepped onto the pavement and looked around haughtily.

"Is this also the ship that they say is unsinkable?" she asked, staring at the monster of steel in front of her.

"Indeed, Petunia. God himself cannot sink this ship," Lucius continued.

A harassed looking White Star Line porter hurried over to them.

"Sir, you'll have to check your baggage through the main terminal around that way - " the porter began, pointing over at the loading area.

"I put my faith in you, good sir," Lucius interrupted, handing the man a tip. He nodded toward one of the hands that had gotten out of the other car. "See my man."

Lily watched as Lucius's valet, Severus Snape, directed the porter on where everything needed to go. She honestly didn't know where Lucius had found that man. Snape – although younger than most of Lucius's previous valets – looked like an undertaker and was almost always in a bad temper.

Softer whistles began blowing around the docks, and Lucius quickly checked his pocket watch.

"Ah, we'd better hurry," he said, motioning that they should begin walking toward the first class gangway entrance. Petunia, Vernon, and Lucius walked ahead, but Lily strayed a bit behind them, making sure her maid had her more valuable possessions in hand.

"My coat?"

"Yes, miss," the maid called back, sounding a bit exasperated with all the packages she had to carry. Lily nodded her approval and then hurried to catch up with her companions.

As they moved along the docks, they passed through several of the inspection areas where the third class passengers were being checked for lice. Some watched the foursome pass with much interest while others didn't care at all.

Lily finally caught up to the others when they were out of the third class area and apparently – from what she heard – her fiancé had been jostled too many times by the passing steerage passengers.

" – missed his annual bath, evidently," Lucius commented snidely to Vernon, who nodded.

"Well, if you weren't always doing everything last minute we wouldn't have to be running around the docks with these…_people_," Petunia sniffed, glaring at a rather unsuspecting second-class passenger.

"All part of my charm, Petunia. And besides, it was your sister's beauty rituals who kept us late at the hotel."

"_You're_ the one who wanted me to change," Lily replied angrily, coming up on Lucius's free side. It was amazing how fast that man could forget things that were his fault.

"Like I said, I couldn't just let you wear black on sailing day," Lucius responded, linking his arm in hers as they came upon the first class entrance area.

"I felt like black," she declared, as they began walking regally up the gangway.

"Here I've bought the best tickets for the most majestic ship in the world, and you're acting as though you're going to your execution!" he exclaimed, ducking his head as they entered _Titanic_. He nodded his greeting to the officer positioned by the door and looked appreciatively around the elegantly decorated area they had stepped into. Lily observed it without showing too much interest. "Do try to enjoy yourself, Lily."

Lily flashed Lucius a small smile, though deep down, she knew she wasn't going to enjoy this voyage at all. The heavy, imprisoning weight of Lucius's arm on hers only confirmed her thoughts.

* * *

"Prongs, you run too bloody fast for my liking!" Remus called as he chased after James down the length of the dock. They dodged in-between passengers and the well wishers – running into quite a few of them – and nearly got themselves run over by a truck full of luggage.

"You're the one who told me to hurry up!" James yelled back, quickly looking over his shoulder at his friend. "And that's what I'm doing!"

"We hardly need to hurry any more! We're at the dock!"

"But I want to find a good spot so I can wave goodbye properly!"

Remus sighed, but upped his pace a bit more so that he was only a few feet behind James. Sometimes, he could be the most difficult person on earth…

"You've gone too far, Prongs!" Remus exclaimed, coming to sudden stop in front of the third class gangway. James, who was nearer to the second-class entrance, stopped and turned around at his friend's shout. Remus was halfway up the gangway when James finally caught up to him again.

"You really need to get your glasses checked up. You never see anything any more!" he continued as they walked up the remaining way.

"My vision is fine, thank you very much," James replied, frowning.

"That's what you said before you ran straight into that bobby last month**.**"

"That was an _accident_…I wasn't doing anything illegal that time, so it wasn't too bad - "

"Tickets please," the officer at the entrance ordered, interrupting their conversation. Remus dug the both tickets out of his coat pocket and handed them to officer. The officer looked at them and then checked them with passenger list. "Mr. Potter and Mr. Lupin?"

"Yes, sir**.**"

"Have you both been through the inspection queue?"

"'Course," James lied, knowing perfectly well that they hadn't even considered getting into the queue.

"Besides, we don't have any lice," Remus added, grinning as he scratched his head.

The officer eyed them, annoyed, but moved out of the way so they could board. They calmly walked away from the entrance area, and once they were out of sight of any officer, they raced through the corridors, trying to find a stairwell leading to the open deck. Once they had found one, they climbed up it two stairs at a time**.** In no time at all, they found themselves on the poop deck with many of the other steerage passengers.

"Remind me never to encourage you to hurry again," Remus huffed, trying to get his breath back. James grinned at him and hurriedly tried to find an open spot on the Boat Deck railing. He succeeded after shoving a few people aside and Remus joined him once he was breathing properly again.

"Goodbye! I'll miss you!" James called, waving his arm wildly at the people on the quay below.

"You don't know anyone down there, James!"

"So? None of them down there - " he gestured at the enthusiastic crowd. " – know me and they're still saying their farewells. Besides, I'm saying good bye to jolly old England too."

"Your logic never ceases to amaze me**.**"

"I know, now stop being a stick in the mud, and wave goodbye!"

Remus obliged and waved goodbye, although he did it without being as loud and irritable as James was. He was about to tell his friend off again – before someone else did – when _Titanic_'s loudest and longest blast rang throughout the port. When that faded, (and when James stopped complaining that his eardrums were bleeding) Remus heard a new noise – a mechanical one – and felt a vibration go through the stern.

"We're moving! At last!" someone nearby shouted.

James let out a loud whoop of excitement that was quickly drowned out by the thunderous roar that rose up from the crowd on the quay.

_Titanic _was leaving port and sailing into history.

* * *

Thanks for reading and please review.


	2. Chapter Two

**Author's Notes: **Hello everyone! I'm back and with another chapter! I'd like to thank Joey Potter, NgElFcE2004, and Raven Potter Weasley for reviewing the last chapter. You guys are great. I'd also like to take this time and thank AmethystPhoenix for being my beta. Enjoy everyone!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Harry Potter or any references to James Cameron's _Titanic_.

**Chapter 2**

_12:30 PM_

Much to Lily's dismay, her companions had opted to go settle into their staterooms instead of going up on deck to see the cast-off. Although she had warned them that their no-show up on deck would send tongues wagging and that they would be branded unsociable for the rest of the voyage, they didn't listen and strutted off to find their staterooms.

Lily, furious with them for never listening to her, marched off in the opposite direction so she could go on deck by herself. But by the time she found her way up to the A-Deck Promenade area, _Titanic_ was already in motion and there was nothing left to see. Frustrated at her companions and disappointed that she didn't get to see the first cast off, she stomped back inside to the First Class area, only to have her breath taken away by the splendour of what was laid out before her. She had been in such a hurry to get outside and on deck that she hadn't even noticed she had gotten there via the Grand Staircase.

She knew it was not proper for a lady of her stature to be gaping (for she should've been far used to this luxury) but the Grand Staircase was even better than she had read about. The enormous glass dome overhead had a crystal chandelier in the centre that sparkled from all the bright sunlight streaming through. The oak staircase curved much like the main staircase at Malfoy Manor (which she had been unfortunate enough to visit more than once) and the railings were intricately carved with iron insets. At the first landing there was an elegant clock flanked by the figures representing Honour and Glory crowning Time.

"It is beautiful, isn't it?"

Lily turned her head and looked at the man who had spoken. He was a rather handsome gentleman with his greying brown hair and square jaw. Lily recognized him at once as Thomas Andrews, _Titanic's _designer.

"Yes, it is beautiful," she murmured in reply, embarrassed that he had caught her gaping. "The clock is especially striking."

"I was rather worried how that was going to come out, but the carpenters ended up doing a far better job then I expected," Andrews commented, nodding his agreement. He opened the notebook he was carrying, wrote a quick note in it, and then snapped it shut. "Well, best be seeing to the rest of her. Have a pleasant voyage, miss."

"Likewise," Lily replied, nodding her head as Andrews walked away.

She returned her attention to the foyer, trying to see if any of her group had wandered into this area yet. To her surprise, she saw not her fiancé or sister, but another familiar face. He was just on the landing below, staring at the clock, apparently spellbound by it.

Lily left her spot on the railing and walked down the staircase. Once she was more than halfway down (and at an acceptable shouting distance) she called, "I thought I might be seeing you on this voyage, Sirius Black!"

Sirius turned, a face full of bewilderment that disappeared the moment he caught sight of Lily.

"Well, if it isn't Miss Lily Evans," Sirius replied once Lily was standing in front of him. A smile formed on his handsome features, and she returned it, looking her happiest all day. "I haven't seen you in quite a few years, but you're still as gangly and freckly as ever."

"I see you still need to learn how to be a gentlemen. I thought they taught chivalry at Hogwarts," Lily responded. "Your mother must be terribly upset about that waste of money."

"If my mother's not upset about something I've done, then I've considered it a waste of a day…She seems to think that this voyage and the sea air will 'clear my head of all those foolish ideas that crackpot Dumbledore put in it'," he admitted, rolling his eyes.

"_That's_ why you're here. I thought it'd might've been because it's the social thing to do this season and because your mother wants you to find a wife - "

"Don't remind me. That's all she ever thinks about now," Sirius interrupted, his voice full of exasperation. "She gone absolutely mad over the fact that Regulus is running the family business instead of me _and_ that I haven't found an acceptable girl to marry yet…My excuse now is that I'm not at the proper age yet – twenty still being a bit young to marry, in my opinion - but I bet if I don't find a girl within another year, she'll force me to marry one of my cousins."

"That's horrible!" Lily laughed. "I suppose she thinks that you should've asked me to marry you as well!"

"You have _no_ idea…Why just this morning – for the hundredth time – she was telling me, 'Sirius Black, you should've proposed to that Evans girl before Lucius Malfoy beat you to it! She's far more suitable than these _floozies_ you bring home every other week!' I still don't think she understands we're nothing more than friends."

"Oh….Right…" Lily muttered, absentmindedly twisting her engagement ring as she spoke. Her face darkened slightly and her smile disappeared. "…So, you know about Lucius and me, then?"

"Of course I know about you two, Lily. _All_ of London knows; I'd have to have been living under a rock not to know," he explained, noticing her sudden change of mood. "Mother told me, but I wasn't going to believe it until you told me personally…which never happened, did it?"

"Sirius, you know I would've told you of all people first, except Lucius wouldn't let me," Lily sighed, trying to ignore the bitter tone to his voice. She diverted her gaze from his eyes and to the clock. "He said that now that I was his fiancé, I had to start acting like an engaged woman and that meant no contact with 'old beaus' – "

"Does _everyone_ think that we're going to have a mad, passionate love affair if we come within five metres of each other?"

"Apparently," she agreed, smiling briefly. "I tried to convince him otherwise by saying it'd cause a scandal if two of the oldest and richest families in England suddenly stopped communicating, but he replied by saying that I was just to stop talking to _you_, not to the rest of your family…It's not my fault. I really wanted to tell you…" She glanced at him, hoping he would understand. "Do you forgive me?"

"Yes, I forgive you…I could never stay mad at you for long, you know," Sirius said, as he leaned against the post at the start of the downward staircase railing. Several passengers going down the stairs toward their luncheon glared at him haughtily. "Shall we talk about something more pleasant? Like your wedding plans, perhaps?"

"You'd better be careful about what you ask me," Lily replied, frowning in an irritated way. "I only know the basics about _my_ wedding."

"What do you mean? Is Lucius not letting you take part in the wedding plans too?" Sirius asked, gaping at her.

"He put Petunia in charge of all the plans since she had earlier experience with them. He thought that I might be incapable of doing something as _complex_ as picking out flowers and dates and colours," she clarified. "I haven't got to do a single thing except pick out the bridesmaids' dress colours, and then Petunia went and changed it because yellow makes her look large around the middle…She's picked out everything from something as unimportant as the type of invitations to the style of my wedding dress without consulting me one bit. I wasn't even included when she and Lucius picked out the date! You'd think it was _her _wedding, not mine!"

She finished with a huff, her face flushed with anger and arms crossed. Sirius watched her in silence for a moment before speaking up at last, "You're letting him control you far too much - "

"Oh, he's _always _been like that, don't you remember?"

"Well, that's what amazes me about you two…you actually _accepted_ his proposal, when you probably knew his controlling was just going to get worse…You've always been the most independent woman I've met, and I just can't believe you're lying down and _letting_ him make decisions for you." Sirius responded, staring at her intently. "The Lily I knew wouldn't have put up with that."

"…We haven't seen each other in ages, Sirius," Lily stated after a moment. "I realised that some things were more important than what I would've wanted or liked…I've had to change."

"Don't you mean that _Malfoy _had to change you?"

Lily kept silent for a moment, contemplating.

"Was…Was it that easy to guess?"

Sirius nodded slowly, a sad look on his face. He opened his mouth to reply to her inquiry, but something her shoulder caused his to divert his gaze for a moment. Suddenly, he stood up very quickly and regained his gentlemanly posture. Lily stared at him questioningly and was about to ask what was wrong, when a strong, cold grip closed painfully over her shoulder.

"There you are, darling," Lucius said, his voice barely above a growl. "We've been looking all over the ship for you."

Lily glanced quickly at her fiancé out of the corner of her eye and found that he looked furious. She quickly glanced back to Sirius, who was looking Lucius quite boldly in the eye.

"I – I wanted to see the cast off instead of going to my stateroom," Lily answered carefully, avoiding Lucius's gaze by looking at his chin.

"Cast off was over forty minutes ago…You should've come back to the staterooms immediately afterwards, but I see you got…_distracted_." Lucius hissed the last word out, throwing a venous glare in Sirius's direction.

"You didn't even tell me what staterooms we had booked, so I couldn't possibly have come back," she snapped back, noticing with every word she spoke, his grip on her shoulder got tighter. "I - I was waiting for all of you out here - "

"Mother will be delighted to know that you're on board, Malfoy," Sirius interrupted, his eyes flashing dangerously. His tones were ones of forced politeness, although Lucius had been making no attempt to be polite to him. "She hasn't spoken to you in a very long time and you'll both have the whole voyageto catch up."

Lily nearly sighed with relief at finding out that Sirius was staying on board until New York. That meant she'd have more than enough time to talk with him privately, without Lucius interrupting or spying on her. She desperately needed to talk to someone who'd actually listen to her.

"Lovely," Lucius replied curtly. "I'm afraid we really must get going. Don't want to miss luncheon, do we darling?"

Lily nodded slowly and as they turned to go down the staircase, she heard Lucius hiss, "Remember your place, _Black_, or there _will_ be consequences."

* * *

"Honestly, Prongs, how hard can it be to locate our bloody staterooms?" Remus asked as he leaned against one of the walls. After England had finally disappeared from view, they had made their way downwards so they could dump their baggage in their rooms and go have some lunch. Unfortunately, _Titanic _was much larger on the inside then they had imagined. "I'm getting hungry."

"You should've had more to drink at the pub then," James replied insensitively. He looked at plaque on the wall to see whether or not their number was down this hallway. "Dammit, we've gone too far again!"

"We're always going too far! Why don't you give me the tickets and _I'll_ find our way there."

"I told you the numbers already, don't you ever listen to me?"

"No, because half the words that come out of your mouth are either completely mad or swear words - "

"Excuse me, gentlemen, do you need directions?"

James and Remus stopped arguing for a moment to look at the steward who had suddenly appeared behind them. The two parties stared at each other before recognition settled in on each of them.

"Wormtail!" James exclaimed happily.

"James, Remus!" Peter Pettigrew replied, equally enthused as he nodded at his friends.

"I didn't know you were going to be on this ship too," Remus said, grinning. He jabbed James in the ribs and pointed at Peter's white uniform. "And you're a steward as well! We better be on good behaviour, James, otherwise he could have us thrown overboard!"

"But good old Peter wouldn't do that to friends!" James responded, throwing his arm around Peter's shoulder. "What he _should_ do is give his best friend James a tour of the crew's quarters - "

"Oh no, James Potter. I am not falling for that trick again; you lost me my last job because you _had_ to take a look at the employee area and then went and nicked something," Peter said, frowning at the black haired man leaning on his shoulder. "The only 'tour' you're getting out of me is how to get to your staterooms and back."

"Honestly Peter, I didn't mean to get you _fired _-"

"You also didn't mean to get caught, did you? Bad luck seems to follow you everywhere," Remus interrupted. "Now, Peter, can you show us where to our rooms? We've been wandering down here forever due to this prat's lack of direction."

"Of course, Remus, just let me see your tickets," Peter replied, and Remus handed him the tickets. James hovered over their shoulders, looking slightly put out. "…Well, part of the problem is that your rooms are on E-Deck and right now we're on D-Deck. The other part is that the men's quarters are at the bow and we're amidships at the moment."

"Do you have the time to show us the way?" Remus asked, glaring at James, who had been the one to lead them up another level. "Because we certainly don't want to cost you another job if you don't."

"Oh, it's not a problem. My shift doesn't start for another hour and it _is _my job to direct passengers around anyway," Peter replied, handing the tickets back to Remus. "Follow me."

Peter turned and led them down one of the bigger corridors, toward the front of the ship. The corridors weren't as crowded as they had been when they had first fought their way through. James supposed – with a grumble from his stomach – that nearly everyone was at the dinning saloon for lunch. He hoped the trek to the bow wouldn't take too long, for he _was _starting to get hungry.

"So what have you been up to for the past few months, Peter? We haven't seen you since that Order meeting in February. Usually we're running into you all over the place," Remus stated. A pretty blonde girl passed by the group, and both James and Peter noticed how Remus gave her another interested look.

The both shared knowing grins and Peter then said, "Well, Remus, I've been working mostly. Haven't had much time to see you or any _girls _- "

"Except for your mother, that is."

Peter shot James an offended look and then continued, "- As of late. A few months ago I moved to Southampton 'cause I heard there were better paying jobs here. I got hired as a hand on a steamer and had a few crossings before the coal strike set in and I got laid off. Then I heard they were hiring for _Titanic _and well, here I am!"

"Speaking of your mother, how is she?" Remus asked turning back to the conversation after the blonde girl had rounded a corner.

"Same as always," Peter sighed, as the walked down a metal staircase. "She still thinks that I shouldn't be involved with the Order…Thinks Dumbledore's a right old crackpot for challenging the society system; she's always been a stickler for tradition…"

"Does she still believe Remus and I are dragging you down the road of corruption as well?" James asked dryly as they turned down another long corridor. Peter rolled his eyes and nodded. "So next time we visit her she's probably going to chase out of the house wielding a broom and yelling, 'Never darken my doorstep again, you two demon children!' again?"

"She only did that because you stole her best set of earrings!"

"_I _didn't steal them; Moony did," James replied, looking offended at being accused for something he didn't do for once. "At least we gave you half the money we got after pawning them."

"That's not the point; they were a family heirloom," Peter protested with an annoyed sigh. "Anyway, I suppose you two are on board for Order business. Who do you have to spy on this time?"

"Can't tell you," Remus said shortly before James could open his mouth. "Not that we don't trust you Peter, but Dumbledore said that only the three of us assigned should know. Just in case it got leaked to the subject, you know?"

"Oh, I understand. I've been on enough of those bloody missions to remember Dumbledore's rules," Peter reminded them as they stopped in front of one of the doors in the middle of the corridor. "But who's the other bloke assigned with you? Is he boarding at Cherbourg or Queenstown?"

"He's on board right now, but he's in first class, lucky bastard. Dumbledore didn't give us his name," James explained. He pointed at the door. "This ours?"

"Should be anyway," Peter replied, shrugging his shoulders. "I think I'd better start heading back now, otherwise there'll be trouble."

"All right, then. Thanks a lot, Wormtail," Remus said, patting Peter on the shoulder as he passed. "We'll see you around!"

* * *

Lily was furious. Lucius was sitting right beside her, and he didn't even seem to notice that she was fuming or that she hadn't spoken a single word since they had sat down. She supposed that even if she stood up and screamed at the top of her lungs, he wouldn't even bat an eyelash.

After berating her about Sirius, Lucius had taken it upon himself to start treating her like she was a disobedient child unlike the nearly eighteen year old she was. Lily hated it when he did that; she could make her own bloody decisions and didn't need him to be dictating her every move.

They were eating their luncheon in the A la Carte Restaurant because Petunia and Vernon were down in the dining saloon, and Lucius didn't want to be seen with "that oversized oaf of a man" more than necessary. (It was no secret that he despised the Dursleys, and Lily often agreed with what he said about them, although she would never admit to his face.) It appeared that Lucius had made dinner arrangements up already, for he had led her to a table set for six, and the four people already seated were some of Lucius's closest confidantes: Rodolphus Lestrange, his wife Bellatrix, Antonin Dolohov, and Augustus Rookwood.

Lily had been shocked the see all of them there. She hadn't heard Lucius talk about any of his associates booking passages on _Titanic_. The foursome's sudden appearance had also contributed to her bad mood, for she didn't like any of them and they treated her the same as Lucius did.

The dinner started out well enough (at least no one had insulted her this time), but she ended up being ignored – as always – once they got onto certain subjects she "wouldn't have any interest in". So she listened to them talk about rising stocks, Parliament, and of course the bane of their existence, Albus Dumbledore.

When the waiter had come around, Lucius added more fuel to Lily's already growing fire of annoyance when he ordered her dinner for her, and it turned out to be veal, a meal she absolutely detested. Her nerves were frayed to their breaking point by the time Bellatrix started chatting up her fiancé.

"I'm afraid this will be the only dinner we'll be having together for awhile, Lucius," she said, making eyes at him across the table. If Lucius had meant a great deal more to Lily, she would've glared.

"And why's that my dear?" Lucius answered, smirking at her.

Lily wanted to hit him. Hard.

"Augustus, Antonin, Rodolphus, and I will be disembarking at Cherbourg. We have some…business to attend to in Paris," Bellatrix answered, sipping delicately at her drink.

"On the run from the authorities again, are you Bellatrix? Who did you murder this time?" Lily asked snidely, finally speaking up for the first time.

The table quieted suddenly, and Lucius shot her a deadly look. Bellatrix glared at her as if she was some disgusting bug from under her heavy lidded eyes, and Lily glared back defiantly because it wasn't _her_ fault that the truth hurt.

"…I think you need to impress some manners onto your fiancée, Lucius," Dolohov commented at last. "Or at least teach her to know when her opinion is unwanted."

"Indeed," Lucius agreed. He sent her another dark look and then continued with their conversation as if nothing had happened. "Now…what were you saying, Bella?"

"While we may be disembarking at Cherbourg, you'll be pleased to know that Tom has decided to come and take our place - "

Abruptly, Lily stood abruptly from her chair and marched out of the restaurant. After all, she didn't need Lucius to teach her to know when she was as unwanted as her opinions.

* * *

"Ah, there's nothing like a good smoke with the sea air blowing through your hair," James commented as he took a long drag on his cigarette. "Don't you think so, Moony?"

"You know what I think about your smoking habits, Prongs," Remus sighed, looking at his friend over his book. "But you're right about the sea air."

The two of them had just finished their lunch and were back up on the Boat Deck, waiting for their partner in First Class to come down and meet with them. They were sitting on a bench by the rail near the entrance to the poop deck. James was watching the other third class passengers with some interest while Remus was reading a book.

"When did you say he was supposed to meet us?" James asked, glancing around the poop deck. "Is he going to be dressed like us or what?"

"He's supposed to be here when he finishes lunch, and I believe he's going to be dressed like a first class passenger," Remus replied after a pause. He turned a page in his book and didn't say any more.

James glanced around once again, trying to make sure he didn't miss an expensive suit in the crowd. Several children were playing a game with marbles in the middle of the deck, while further back someone was playing a set of pipes and people were dancing around merrily. Across the ship, just opposite of them, James saw a blonde set of hair and figured Mr. Dawson from the pub had won the poker game.

He got bored after a few minutes and was about to complain to Remus when he caught sight of a figure on the railing above. Only it wasn't their partner; it was a girl and a beautiful one at that.

James stared at her, transfixed. She had flaming red hair that could just be spotted underneath her gaudy hat and looked rather young. Her dress looked absolutely striking, and she had a wonderful figure. She was leaning rather unladylike on the railing and even though she wasn't looking at him, he could tell that she was miserable.

But why would someone of privilege and power be miserable? They didn't need to worry about when their next meal would be or where they'd sleep the next night. They had everything. Yet…she still looked like the most miserable creature on Earth.

"James, what are you staring at?" Remus asked, at exactly the same moment the girl turned her head and locked eyes with him. She quickly looked away – as if her own daring shocked her – but they had had enough eye contact for James to realize she had the most beautiful – and sad – green eyes he had ever seen. "Prongs? Did you hear me?"

"She's beautiful," James murmured, not taking his eyes of the girl.

"…And out of your league. You'd have to have angels fly out of your arse to get next to the likes of her."

James ignored his friend and continued the stare at the girl like his very existence depended on it. After a moment, she glanced curiously back at him and didn't look away.

* * *

Lily stormed out onto the Promenade deck, intent on getting as far away from Lucius as possible.

She couldn't believe him. He had just been lecturing her about how an engaged woman should act, and then he went and chatted up that foul Lestrange woman – _who was already married!_

Dolohov and the rest seemed to think that she was a stupid little thing – well, if they actually paid attention to her for once, they'd notice that she wasn't as dim as they thought she was. After all, it was no secret to _her_ what Lucius and his _associates_ did when they had their meetings at the Malfoy Manor or when they went out and about during the night. It hadn't been very hard to figure out what they were up to; there were plenty of stories on the streets and she was a very good eavesdropper when the time called.

Lucius and the rest were members of a secret group called 'Death Eaters.' Lily had no idea what the Death Eaters actually _did _or what their purpose was, but she assumed that their main objective was to take over Parliament or something as ridiculous like that. Tom Riddle – a very rich and successful man – was their leader, and Lucius was quite obviously his right hand man. _Bellatrix_ was even part of it, although she was a woman. (Lily supposed the only reason she was even included her was because she had slept with Tom Riddle.)

Tom Riddle was the one person in the group that frightened her. Whenever he looked at her with his cold, grey eyes, Lily got the feeling that he wanted nothing more than to harm her. Just being around him made her feel uncomfortable, and she always tried to avoid him at social events. But now that Lucius knew he would be boarding, there'd be no way she could stay away from him…

At long last, she reached the well deck that separated the first class from the third class on the poop deck. She leaned on it – not caring that if it was unladylike – and watched the third class passengers longingly. A group of them were dancing and the light-hearted tunes from a set of pipes floated up to her level. They looked so happy and carefree…

Lily wondered when she had been happy last. It certainly hadn't been lately, not with Lucius breathing down her neck and controlling her every move. She had been pleased when she learned they were going to being sailing on _Titanic_ (because she loved visiting New York) but the feeling had evaporated the moment she had stepped on board the majestic ship. If she was going to be treated like an animal all voyage long, there was nothing to look forward to.

As she observed the third class with some jealously, Lily felt the sensation that someone was watching her. She glanced quickly over her shoulder to see if Lucius had sent Snape to spy on her again, but found there was no one behind her. She looked around the deck below and spotted a man staring at her from across the way.

He looked to be just a few years older than her, and although he wasn't as stunningly handsome as Sirius or some of the other men she knew, he was very pleasant to look at with his scruffy appearance. His black hair was a mess, and his comforting hazel eyes were twinkling at her from behind his glasses.

Suddenly remembering that she was engaged, Lily looked away. She shouldn't be looking at other men – _especially_ steerage men – when she was to be loyal to Lucius…

But Lucius wasn't around at the moment, and he hadn't been exactly loyal to her today…Well, if _he _could chat up Bellatrix Lestrange all he wanted, then she could look at a handsome stranger.

After a moment's hesitation, she looked back at him. He was still staring, a somewhat awed expression on his face. As they stared at one another, Lily felt her resentment and anger beginning to fade away. It was as if nothing in the world mattered but the handsome steerage man.

Maybe things weren't so bad after all…

* * *

Thanks for reading and please review.


	3. Chapter Three

**Author Notes: **Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter and gave me such great compliments! I enjoy reading all the reviews I get, and I'm glad there's such positive feedback for my fic. Anyway, sorry about the delay in getting this chapter posted; I've had a very busy schedule for the past few weeks and certain areas of the chapter took longer for me to write than expected. I hope the length of this chapter makes up for it though!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Harry Potter or any references to James Cameron's _Titanic._

**Chapter 3**

_1:55 PM_

James and the mysterious first class girl continued to stare at each for what seemed like ages. Poor Remus had tried to get James's attention back to what it was supposed to be on – locating their partner – but nothing he tried seemed to work. Only after the girl had smiled rather coyly at James (drawing him even further into his trance) did Remus become fed up with them, and he hit his friend over the head with his book to get his attention. This act of physical violence drew James out of his fantasyland long enough for him to yell at Remus and threaten to start him on fire with his cigarette if he ever did that again. Then, he was back to staring.

Only – much to James disappointment and Remus's relief – the girl wasn't staring at them any more. She had turned around and was arguing with a man who had suddenly appeared behind her. After a heated exchange, the girl marched off in the opposite direction and the man followed her, looking quite annoyed. Pleased that there were no more distractions for his friend, Remus returned to his book and ignored a moping James.

"Well, no wonder she was unhappy. Did you see that bloke she was with?" James commented a few minutes later. He glanced hopefully at the upper well deck to see if she had reappeared again, but her spot was still empty. Remus gave no indication that he had heard James and he turned a page in his book. "If _I_ had to spend time with _that _man, I'd be severely unhappy too. Looks like he needed to take a bath…I thought rich people liked to be clean?"

Remus sighed exasperatedly and buried his nose farther into his book. James glared at him – rubbing the spot where the book had hit as he did so – but made no move to continue any more conversation. He took one last drag of his cigarette and then threw it angrily over his shoulder into the ocean.

James dug through his pockets and pulled out his watch to find that it was almost two o'clock. He took another look around the deck and spotted no fancily dressed gentleman amongst the wool and worn clothes of his fellow passengers. He frowned and slouched lower on the bench. If their partner was going to take his sweet time having his tea and crumpets, then there was no reason for him to look presentable.

Dumbledore hadn't told them who their partner was, so James had no idea for whom they were looking for. The Order had been having problems with an information leak as of late, and Dumbledore didn't want to take the chance of the name being told to a Death Eater, for it was obvious that all Death Eaters were of high society. (James's secret belief, however, was that Dumbledore either enjoyed seeing them squirm with suspense or delighted in being the all-knowing leader of a secret organization too often.) James was hoping it'd be someone easy to get along with…unlike a certain pretty boy named Gideon Prewett, with whom James had had to do his last assignment with. That had been a disastrous mission; they had fought with each - Prewett had had a black eye for a week afterwards, which James was most pleased about - and a Death Eater had almost discovered them

It was only after that when Dumbledore decided to assign James and Remus positions overseas for the Order. One of their sources had said that the Death Eaters were planning on spreading their views or members in America, and Dumbledore seemed to think that the Order needed people there to put a stop to it. Another one of James's secret beliefs was that Dumbledore picked them just because he wanted them out of his hair (as they caused the most trouble), but at least the outcome of this meant that he'd be living on a totally different continent than Prewett and wouldn't have to put up with him.

Unless, of course, Dumbledore decided to be sadistic and send Prewett over _later _-

A sudden lack of movement from his fellow passengers caused James to stop brooding over Prewett and look around. It was too easy to spot what had caused the commotion to stop.

"Well, what have we got here?" James asked loudly, watching with some glee as a finely dressed gentleman made his way through the crowds of shocked third class passengers.

"Another pretty girl?" Remus suggested in an exasperated tone, not even bothering to look up from his book.

"Of course not, Moony," James replied, taking his eyes off the man (he seemed to have heard James's first exclamation and was wandering over toward them) to look at his friend. Annoyed that Remus obviously wasn't paying him any mind, James snatched the book out of his hands and set it aside.

"I was reading that Prongs," Remus protested with a glare.

"You're _always_ reading it," James replied, rolling his eyes. "But if you would just take a look around, you'll find that our partner has shown his face at last."

Remus looked wildly around the deck until he spotted the man coming toward them. He seemed to recognize the man before James did and let out a groan of irritation.

"Any hopes I had of getting something done are now dashed. I don't know what Dumbledore was _thinking_ - "

"It's not Prewett, is it?" James interrupted, whipping his head around to get a better look. To his extreme relief, Sirius Black – looking as out of place as possible – was standing in front of them instead. "Thank God. You had me worried for a minute there, Moony."

"You thought I was _Prewett_, Prongs?" Sirius asked, making a face of disgust as he spoke. "Honestly, your eyesight must get worse every time I see you."

"That's the second time in nearly three hours that someone has commented on my eyesight, and I'm getting rather sick of it," James replied, pushing his glasses further up on his nose as he frowned at Sirius. "You're late, by the way, Padfoot."

"There was no set time, so I can't be late," Sirius said. He sat on the bench next to James and slouched down. "We were told to meet after lunch and here I am."

"Certainly took you long enough to have your lunch," Remus commented as he picked up his book again and opened it. The three of them didn't seem to notice that nearly all the other third class passengers were gaping at them in shock.

"It took me longer than expected to get away from my mother…Wouldn't let me go until we had a quick 'family gathering'. I suppose that half of my bloody relatives are on this bloody ship, so I had a rather fun time making excuses to get away from them," Sirius explained, rolling his eyes. "But they're rather used to me disappearing, and I'm never missed, so it doesn't matter."

"I still can't believe that Bellatrix Lestrange is your _cousin_," James said, wrinkling his nose in disgust. "It must be horrible to have to be near her; I'm certainly glad I'm not the one watching her up close."

"Speaking of Bellatrix, have you found out anything so far?" Remus added, not looking up from his book.

"Erm…about Bellatrix," Sirius began, skirting around the question. He ran a hand through his hair and looked cautiously at his friends. Remus was now watching him out of the corner of his eye, but while James had both eyes on Sirius, he didn't look too interested it what was being said.

"What about her?" Remus asked slowly.

"If you're going to tell us that she's a foul, evil woman, don't bother because we already know that. That's why Dumbledore assigned us to watch her, remember?" James reminded.

"Yes…about that…" Sirius muttered, his tone rather nervous. "I really don't think we have a mission anymore. I…er…_overheard_ Bellatrix telling Mother that she and Rodolphus are disembarking at Cherbourg rather than taking the whole trip..."

Remus dropped his book in surprise at the announcement and gaped at Sirius in surprise. "What'd you mean _disembarking_? They _can't _be disembarking! Dumbledore told us that they were going to stay on board for the whole voyage!"

"Change of plans, obviously," Sirius replied, glowering disappointedly at his shoes. "Either they must've found out about us or Bellatrix murdered one of her maids again. I'm hoping that it's the latter of the two…But she was talking rather loudly, and she gave me this…_look_, so I'm rather distressed."

"What are we going to do then? Just sit here?" James asked angrily, digging through his pockets to find his cigarettes. "I can just imagine the look on Dumbledore's face when we wire him, and he finds out that we didn't get anything done because the whole reason we're on the best bloody ship in the world decided to get up and go have a holiday in France! We'll be lucky if we get away with our heads still on our shoulders!"

"Dumbledore's not going to behead us, James," Remus sighed, forgetting momentarily about their dilemma to stare exasperatedly at his friend.

"Never said that Dumbledore was going to be doing the beheading, did I? Good old Mad-Eye's the one I have to be on the look out for. He looked ready to rip my head off my shoulders when I told him about the Prewett Incident," James argued crossly. He took a cigarette out of the package and then pulled out his lighter. "Please tell me you don't have any more bad news to share, Padfoot."

"Sorry, mate," Sirius said grimly. He ignored James's frustrated outburst and continued, "I caught Rodolphus telling Regulus that…_Tom Riddle's_ taking their place when they disembark."

"Shit," Remus moaned, throwing his head backing disbelief. "We're doomed."

"You're kidding, right Padfoot?" James asked weakly, staring at Sirius with disbelieving eyes.

"The Lestranges never lie when it comes to their precious leader."

The trio sat in an angry silence for a few moments, absorbing this new information. James was fumbling with his lighter – his cigarette in between his lips - when an outburst from Remus caused him to drop it.

"Just when we thought we were going to get away with something for once, the bastards outsmart us – again! Why can't we ever win?" Remus kicked the deck angrily and glared at his shoes. "Here we are, trying to make the world right, and someone has to go and – _James!_ You're smoking _again_? You just put out your last fag barely ten minutes ago!"

James observed Remus coolly as he took a long drag on his finally lit cigarette, and then proceeded to blow the smoke out in the other's direction. Remus made a disgusted face and waved the smoke away.

"You know I have a fag whenever I'm upset, Moony, so don't go taking your anger out on me," James replied, looking slightly more relaxed then the other two. He took another, deep drag before continuing, "All right…Tom Riddle's coming on board…I don't think that's as big as problem as we're making it out to be."

"Prongs. Riddle's the leader, which means he's far more dangerous and cunning then all the other Death Eaters combined, remember?" Sirius reminded. "Dumbledore's the only one who could deal with him and he obviously isn't here at the moment."

"Well, it's not like we're going to waltz right up to Riddle and start interrogating him. We can still gather information on future Death Eater activities regardless of the _almighty_ Riddle's presence. We'll just have to be a bit more…_sneaky _than usual." James went on. "There has to be at least a few other Death Eaters on board this bloody ship. Isn't Lucius Malfoy staying through the whole voyage?"

"Yes, but he's just as dangerous as Riddle, which is why Kingsley's assigned to him," Remus said. "You know we're not supposed to go after a Death Eater out of our league."

"But think about it, Moony! Do you know how furious Riddle'd be if we got information from his best man _and _right out from under his nose?" James insisted. "We're not Moony, Padfoot, and Prongs – the scourges of Hogwarts – for nothing! We can do this!"

Remus did think about it for a moment and then said slowly, "I suppose that sounds like a plan…After all, I'd rather get in trouble for going after a dangerous Death Eater without permission, than for not doing anything. Think you'd be able to get information out of him Padfoot?"

Sirius was looking thoughtful. It took him a few minutes to reply to the question, but when he did it was optimistic for their mission, "If I played the right cards, I'd be able to get in rather good with Malfoy. He's in a spot of bother with me right now because he seems to believe I fancy his fiancée, but as long as I stay away from her and keep my mother from saying anything about my 'radical beliefs', I think I can do it."

"But you don't look happy about that plan, mate," Remus said softly, noticing the frown lines on Sirius's forehead.

"The only thing I don't like about it is staying away from Lily…Malfoy's fiancée," Sirius added, seeing the confused looks on his friends' faces. "She and I are good friends, and she won't like it if I suddenly stopped talking to her without reason…She'll also get rather suspicious because I said some things I probably shouldn't have to her earlier."

"Nothing about the Order, I would hope."

"No, nothing like that. It was a more personal topic." Sirius sighed angrily and threw his head back to look at the sky. "To pull this off, I'm going to have to lie to her…and that's going to hurt her more than anything. But I suppose if I stop talking to her, Malfoy'll be pleased and will stop harassing her about me…Maybe there'll be a positive side to this."

But from the look on his face, James could tell that Sirius didn't believe anything positive would come from lying to this girl.

* * *

"Have you seen my painting?" Lily demanded testily as she looked through her unpacked baggage.

Lily's maid looked over at her fearfully. The young woman had already had one angry outburst this afternoon and the poor maid didn't want to be the cause of another one. Lily didn't get angry often, but when she did, it was not pleasant to be around her.

"N-No, miss. I haven't seen it since this morning."

"Typical," Lily sighed angrily and stormed out into the stateroom's adjoined sitting room to look through the baggage in there. The maid hurried after her cautiously. "I told Lucius specifically to make sure that it was packed. If he left it behind, I'm going to wring his neck."

Lily saw the maid glance at her nervously and she seethed internally. So what if she was bad-mouthing her fiancé? He deserved it and he wasn't improving her temperament any by having Snape baby-sit her. Lucius had sent that overgrown bat of a valet to fetch her and escort her back to their staterooms, instead of doing it himself. Obviously, she wasn't an _important_ enough reason for him to interrupt a tiny Death Eater meeting.

At least Snape had been the one to catch her staring at the steerage boy. (Granted, he was probably going to tell Lucius later, but at least she could deny it then) Lucius would've been beyond furious if he had caught her staring like she had been at another man.

"Oh, honestly!" Lily exclaimed, after she had searched through the entire sitting room and still hadn't found the painting. "Just because he doesn't like anything I do - "

"Crying over that mud puddle of a painting of yours again?" Lucius's voice drawled from the doorway.

Lily stopped her search and turned to look at him. He was leaning against his stateroom's entrance (both their staterooms were connected to the sitting room), with arms crossed and face severe. He looked quite angry, whether it be from the luncheon or something else she had done just today.

"It's not a mud puddle, Lucius, it's art," Lily corrected frostily. "I suppose you had it thrown out when I had my back turned, didn't you?"

"Your godforsaken painting is in Petunia's stateroom," Lucius replied, waving his hand in an uninterested way. He straightened up and entered the stateroom, keeping both eyes on Lily as he did so. "Honestly, Lily, you should think better of me by now."

"You haven't given me any reason to," Lily shot back, her temper getting the better of her. Lucius's gaze narrowed dangerously, but she ignored him and turned to the maid instead. "Go and fetch that, would you?"

The maid nodded and walked hurriedly out of the room. It was quite obvious she didn't want to be around when Lucius and Lily fought with one another. She shut the door with a soft 'click' behind her.

The couple glared furiously at one another from across the room, neither of them feeling the need to talk. After the first few minutes, the strained silence in the room started to become unbearable; no other sound was being made except for the constant, rhythmic hum of the engines far below. Finally – when Lily felt that she was about to burst – Lucius spoke.

"You will _never_ speak to me like that in front of the hired hands again, Lily. Do you understand?"

"Of course I understand. I'm not a child, Lucius."

"That's hard to prove from the way you've been acting recently," he responded icily.

"Well, maybe if you stopped treating me like a child, I'd stop acting like one! And maybe if you stopped ignoring me whenever your friends come around, I'd be a more pleasant person to be around!" Lily exclaimed, her cheeks flushed with anger.

Immediately, she knew she had crossed the line. Lucius's frown grew deeper and his eyes flashed with fury. Quick as a flash, he crossed the room and was towering over her, every inch of him quaking in suppressed anger.

"We've had this talk a dozen times before, Lily," he hissed dangerously. Frightened, she took a small step backward to avoid was what coming, but Lucius grabbed her forearm and held her in his painfully tight grip to make sure she didn't go any further. "_I am your fiance_. I expect you to treat me with respect and act as a proper wife should; seen, but not heard. You shall obey my wishes and do as I ask without any question. You will not look at another man nor will you speak with an old beau - "

"I'm a person, not some hunting trophy you can hang on your wall or some slave you can order around!" Lily interrupted, wincing as his grip became more painful. She glared at him furiously, panic beginning to replace her anger.

"_I will not be spoken to like that!_ If you are to be my wife, you must learn to hold your tongue when your opinion is unwanted!"

"I'm not the only one engaged! What about you? How is it fair that I can't even _look_ at Sirius, when you can go and chat up Bellatrix Lestrange or Narcissa Black all you want?" she shot back. "Lucius – let go – you're _hurting me - _"

Lucius glared down at her, and his mouth twitched unpleasantly, but he didn't reply. His shoulders were shaking with suppressed anger, and Lily noticed that his free hand was rising rapidly –

Suddenly, the main door burst open and Petunia came strolling in, the maid with Lily's painting following behind. Lucius's grip slackened immediately upon seeing Petunia, and Lily wrenched her arm away. She sent one last fright-filled glance in his direction before running to her stateroom and slamming the door behind her.

* * *

Lily didn't know how long had passed since she had locked herself in her stateroom, but if even a great deal of time had passed, she wouldn't be rid of the pain Lucius had caused her. The feelings of contentment and relief she had had only a few hours ago up on deck had evaporated into thin air. The area where he had held her was still slightly throbbing and she knew a bruise would form soon enough, yet the amount of physical pain she was feeling was nothing compared to pain of her heart.

Lucius had never been her Prince Charming. When they first met, she had been enticed by his good looks and charm, and she could've spent hours with him, just enjoying his company. However, as she looked back on it, she had never felt anything remotely near love when they were together; just admiration and awe that _Lucius Malfoy_ wanted to spend time with her.

Then, when they began their courtship, she began to notice several subtle changes in Lucius's behavior towards her. He became less of a gentleman around her in private and began taking control of nearly ever aspect of her social life. He told her what to do, who to talk to, how to dress, and anything else that seemed important. All of her friends were driven away by Lucius and his henchman, but she had been too young and naïve at the time to realize that any of this was occurring.

Her parents, however, had seen what was happening to Lucius's behaviour and tried to prevent him from seeing her. She had been furious with them – for she had believed that _they_ were the ones trying to control her, not Lucius – and continued seeing him in secret. Lucius's control grew even more and she continued to ignore all the signs and warnings until there was no one left to give her any warnings.

Lily's parents died unexpectedly a few months after they had forbidden a courtship, and Lucius seized the chance of no more opposition wonderfully; he proposed to her a few weeks later. She had been so confused and dependant on him at the time that she accepted at once.

They had been engaged for nearly a year when the wedding plans finally started getting put into place. (Petunia had pushed them into it, for tongues had been wagging about their abnormally long engagement and any gossip about _her_ family sent her into a frenzy to get it corrected.) During that year, however, Lily finally began to notice everything her parents had seen in Lucius, but she continued to ignore them, convincing herself that Lucius was doing everything because he loved her.

By the time Lucius had fully exposed himself and she had seen what he was, it was far too late. The wedding day was just around the corner and noose of Lucius's control was tightening ever so quickly around her neck. He had backed her into a corner and there was no escape.

A tear slowly rolled down Lily's cheek as she stared at the fine, oak panelled ceiling above her. She felt as though she had been locked in a cage and that no one could free her from. She wanted out of it, the engagement, and her whole world so badly…

The irony of her predicament was overwhelming. When Lily had been younger, _everyone_ had been convinced she would never find a typical, society husband and would never get married. She had been wild, adventurous, and nothing that a proper husband would want in a wife. But, as she had tried to tell all those who had frowned down at her behaviour, she wasn't trying to attract a society man nor was she going to be a lady of _their_ society. Her dreams had always been to become a dancer and marry a man who loved her for who she was.

She had ignored all the attempts her family and others had made to try and stomp out her beliefs and dreams. She had done everything possible to make them come true. That is, until she met Lucius and let her barriers fall to his irresistible charm. He was the one who had finally been able to put her spark out…because she had been naïve enough to allow him to do it. And now that she would be marrying Lucius, he'd be sure to see that the spark would never return.

Another tear trailed down her cheek. Now all that was left of her dreams was a simple painting of a ballerina and a cold, loveless fiancé who probably only wanted her for beauty and money. Her heart and every idea she had ever based her life on had been shattered into a million pieces, and she could never pick them all up.

Yet with the way things were going, she wouldn't have to worry about picking up the pieces. Lucius would just add more when he shattered her body and soul.

* * *

"Lily, darling, you really must come out now! You've had enough of a lie down for one day, and we must get prepared for dinner!"

Petunia's shrill voice drew Lily out of her glum daze, and she slowly got off of her large, comfortable bed to unlock the door for her sister. When she had done so, Petunia burst into the room in a whirl of silk and bright colours, the maid following behind her, carrying Lily's painting.

"Thank you," Lily whispered quietly, taking the painting from the maid and setting it over in the corner of the stateroom. As she crossed the room, she noticed that the quiet hum of the engines had stopped and she presumed – with a sinking heart – that they were already at Cherbourg. "This room does need more colour."

Petunia glanced at the painting, shrivelled up her nose, and said, "On again about that ugly thing? Why couldn't you have bought a better painting, one with landscapes? I like landscapes."

"I happen to like dancers and this painting in particular, Petunia. When I look at it, it's like…like I'm inside a dream." The dream she hadn't been allowed to have. "I don't care what you and anyone else say about it either."

Petunia ignored Lily's wistful tone and sad face, and went twittering around the room as if her sister had never interrupted.

"I heard what you did at your luncheon today, Lily," she reprimanded, throwing a scowl over her shoulder. "I thought you'd have grown out of this childish behaviour by now. You're giving our family a bad name, acting up and insulting people as you are. People will begin to think we were raised like barbarians!"

Petunia shuddered at the thought of _her_ family being the topic of gossip at teatime rather then someone else's. She hurried over to Lily's wardrobe and began searching through it for a gown.

"I am such a child that you're going to pick out my dress for me too?" Lily asked scathingly, her old anger coming back in a flash.

"Knowing you, you'd pick out a _yellow _dress, and I can't allow that. You look positively fallow in yellow - "

"I do not. _You're _the one who looks fallow and fat - "

"Lily!" Petunia hissed, turning around to stare at her sister in shock. Lily noticed, with some vindictive pleasure, that Petunia patted her stomach nervously. "What has gotten into you? You better not say anything like that at dinner! This is Vernon's only dinner on _Titanic _and I want it to be special…Even more, Tom Riddle's coming on board and it will do you no good to speak to like that to him. Lucius especially won't like it." Lily shifted nervously, and Petunia narrowed her eyes. She left the wardrobe, walked over to her sister, and put a comforting arm on her shoulder, surprising Lily very much. Petunia usually didn't care if she was upset. "…Why do you keep doing this to yourself, Lily? It's plain to see you don't love Lucius as much as you used to, but maybe…maybe if you tried just a bit harder to be more pleasant around him and obey him, things will start to shape up."

Lily glanced at her sister doubtfully. She couldn't possibly understand what her situation was like. Their personalities were so different, so it was nearly impossible to know what the other was thinking. They didn't even _look_ like family; Petunia was tall and blonde and she was rather on the short side with red hair. But Petunia had gone through this situation before. Maybe she did know a thing or two about these sorts of things.

"All right, Petunia. I'll try." Lily replied at last, giving her sister a small smile.

"Good! Now, here's what I think you should wear… "

* * *

But by nearly ten o'clock that night, Lily's mind had changed. She couldn't do it. Even if her dreams had been shattered, she would succumb to that level so willingly; she'd rather die first than become a society drone.

Dinner had not been going well at all. Everyone had complemented her on her gown – which was heavily beaded and made of green silk – when they first sat down, and then proceeded to ignore her as per usual. She usually didn't mind the lack of conversation directed at her – for she never knew any good gossip – but tonight was different. For the first time, she noticed how none of the people sitting at their table were her one age or anyone she particularly liked. None of them ever looked in her direction, and even when they were asking a question about her, they didn't talk to her.

She had only tried to talk once during dinner, when a subject she knew quite a lot about had been brought up, but then, Tom Riddle had appeared, and she clamped her mouth closed, not even opening it to greet him. Riddle seemed to be the only one at the table who knew she even existed; yet whenever his cold, grey eyes locked onto hers, his gaze held nothing but malicious thoughts and contempt for her very being. Whenever he looked at her, she felt her heart turn to ice and the feeling of being trapped came back in waves.

The lowest point of the meal, however, hadn't been when Riddle had appeared. After Petunia had got up to go and socialize, Sirius had come and taken her place. Lily had thought this would be a good thing (for he would at least pay attention to her), but Sirius had only looked and spoken to her once, and that was when he had greeted her. Sirius had instead talked to Lucius and Riddle about Death Eater business and they seemed to appreciate him more after their little talk.

"Will you be joining us in the smoking room, Bla – Sirius?" Lucius asked, as he stood from his chair. His tone was much more becoming than it had been earlier that day.

"In a minute, Lucius," Sirius replied, with a good-natured smile. "I must make sure _someone_ escorts my mother back to her stateroom. Wouldn't want her lost on this magnificent ship, would I?"

"No, no, of course not," Lucius said with a small chuckle. He then turned to Lily and asked soberly, "Would you like me to escort you back to the stateroom?"

"I can find my own way back, Lucius," Lily said dully, noticing how his eyes flashed with anger for a moment, but she didn't care.

"Very well," he sighed and walked away from the table, Snape following behind him.

Sirius was getting out of his seat and straightening out his jacket, but before he could go anywhere, Lily leaned over and grabbed a hold of his arm. He glanced at her, annoyance clearly written on his face, and then tugged his arm out of her grip.

"You shouldn't be doing that. You're engaged, you know."

"I know bloody well that I'm engaged. I've only been lectured on it two times already today," Lily hissed angrily, sliding over a seat so she could cover the distance between them. "I want to talk to you."

"About what?" Sirius replied indifferently, not looking at her.

"What _has_ gotten into you, Sirius Black? You and Lucius were polar opposites this morning and now…now, you're acting all chummy with him…" Lily trailed off, desperate for Sirius to clear up her confusion.

"…A couple of years ago, I realized that I was going the wrong way about things and that…that what Lucius and Tom are doing, are the right way," Sirius replied after a moment. "Oh, I suppose you don't know what I'm talking about, do you?"

"_Don't,_" Lily breathed angrily. "Don't you treat me like that! I'm your friend!"

"No, you're not. I've got new friends." Sirius replied evenly, straightening out his jacket sleeve. "I just pretended that I was this morning, so you wouldn't throw one of your fits and cause a scene - "

"You – You…you never used to care about those sorts of things!"

"I was young. Now that I've gotten older, I've realised that what I was rebelling against was unimportant and that there were other issues that I should've been putting my energy into. Like money and power, for instance," Sirius explained coolly. Finally, he looked at her, but there was nothing but contempt in his gaze. "You've must have realised by now that you're not the only one who can change over the space of a few years…Good night, Miss Evans."

"No, Sirius – wait – "

"I said, good night," he replied curtly, as he walked away from the table without a glance back. Lily stared after him, helplessness, hurt, and confusion bubbling up inside her.

Sirius couldn't have changed that drastically…could he? He was a fighter – he wouldn't have given in without a goof fight, but it seemed…it seemed as though he had given into the pressures of being the Black heir, and become another one of _them_.

Lily had always looked to Sirius for hope in her dark days – he had been her inspiration to keep going, to keep fighting off Lucius's attempts of control…But he was like the others now, and her hope was gone. There was nothing now that could save her from Lucius's tightening noose…

She saw it suddenly, how her life would always be if she allowed this to continue; an endless parade of parties and cotillions, yachts and polo matches. Always surrounded by the same people who didn't notice her, the same mindless chatter about things she hated. She was trapped, trapped in a life she didn't want and with a group of people who could care less about her.

She stared at the elegantly dressed people standing and talking in the dining saloon, her heart pounding madly in her chest and her breathing intensifying. She couldn't live like this any longer; she had to get out and away from them now, before it was too late –

With a small cry, Lily bolted from her seat, and ran through the crowds of passengers, shoving some aside in her haste. Several people cried out in shock, but all she could care about was getting as far away from _them_ as possible. She pushed her way out of the dining saloon's doors and dashed across the foyer to the Grand Staircase. She pounded up the steps as fast as she could, the noise of her heeled shoes echoing throughout the spacious area. Up she ran, around this corner and the next one. But it still wasn't enough distance between her and the rest…She had to get out of their grasp, had to keep going.

She flung herself around one last turn in the staircase, before pausing to catch her breath. With blurry vision she read the inscription on the brass plate on the wall: _B-Deck_…She was on the same level as her stateroom, but Lucius could get to her in there –

"Now, now, Mrs. Black. I assure you, nothing will happen to your son if he chooses to join our…_organization_."

Lily whirled around at the sound of that cold voice, shock rippling through her system. Tom Riddle was coming up the steps behind her, deep in conversation with Sirius's mother, and apparently not noticing her. Yet she couldn't let him notice her, otherwise he'd drag her down and she'd never escape –

Terror flooded through her, and she began to run again. She raced across the landing and towards the door that led to the B-Deck promenade. She pushed it open, and stumbled outside, the cold air taking her breath away. Her heels clicked loudly against the wooden floor of the promenade as she ran, and her hair streaming behind her, having fallen out of its elegant knot. Tears were making their way down her cheeks and small sobs were escaping her lips.

A strolling couple watched her pass, shocked at such a public display of emotions, but she was through caring what people thought of her. No one had cared before, and they certainly weren't going to start now.

Before she knew it, she was at the metal gate that separated the first class from the steerage, and she pulled it open and tore down the steps, into the well deck. But even being in the steerage area wasn't far enough away; she could still hear the orchestra playing from one of the lounges and the tinkle of champagne glasses and laughter.

With an anguished cry, she fled on, coming closer and closer to the stern of the ship, to the point where she wouldn't have any more room left to run. She pounded up the set of stairs that led to the stern deck, and she could just see the black, endlessness of the ocean –

"Whoa!"

She hadn't noticed the male passenger in her way until she had run smack into him. She nearly fell over, however his hand closed protectively around her upper arm – the same place where Lucius had had hold of earlier – to stabilize her balance. But before he could get a good grip, she wrenched her arm free with a cry, and ran away from him.

Lily sprinted across the deserted fantail - not daring to look behind her to see if the man had followed – and just when she thought her legs would give out, she slammed into the base of the stern flagpole. She clung there, panting and sobbing, and stared out at the black water below her. She had run out of ship. There was nowhere else to go except...down.

She didn't want to die…but there were no other choices. She had waited too long, and had run out of time. She couldn't live in a life where no one wanted her and her spirit was already condemned to death if she stayed any longer…

Lily glanced up the bright stars for a moment, and she chose her course of action.

She began to climb over the railing. She used the flagpole for support, and gracefully climbed over to the other side, one foot after another. She took one last look at the rest of _Titanic_ behind her, before turning to face the sea.

Her face turned white and she trembled with fear when as she stared at the long drop before her. She glanced up at the stars, her hair blowing softly in the wind and the beads of her dress clinking melodically against the railing. She sighed with the air of finality, closed her eyes, and leaned forward.

Any time now she'd have to strength to let go, and let herself be taken away from all the hurt and pain in her cruel world. Already, she could feel her grasp on the rail loosening and in a matter of moments she'd be released from her torment –

"Don't do it."

* * *

**NOTE: **The suicide scene above takes place a day before the one in the movie. Why? Well, since I already put Jack and Rose on board Titanic, that means everything they do will still play out, and I couldn't have two attempted suicide events happening all at the same time/night, could I? The scenes similar to the movie will either play out in different locations or at different times.

Thanks for reading and please review.


	4. Chapter Four

**

* * *

Author's Notes: **Well, I'm certainly never going to complain about not getting enough reviews ever again! I was surprised by how many I got for the last chapter, and I thank you all for reading and reviewing this fic! I apologize for my slowness in updating, but this chapter was really long to write.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Harry Potter or any references to James Cameron's _Titanic_.

**Chapter Four**

_10:25 PM_

It was nearly ten thirty at night when James decided that he would go back inside. He had come out onto the boat deck about a half an hour beforehand to meet with Sirius and see how things had gone at dinner. Only, Sirius had yet to show up at the planned time, and James – never the patient one – was getting sick of waiting. While Sirius was probably off downing brandies and sitting in a nice, warm room, James was sitting outside in the chilly air – _not _drinking – and smoking with numb fingers.

If Sirius _really_ needed to talk to him, then he could do so in the morning, for he was tired of being cold. He hadn't brought out his jacket or gloves because it hadn't been too cold when he had first come out, and he had thought Sirius would be on time for once in his life. Obviously, he had been wrong, and now the only thing he cared about was getting his fingers defrosted. If Remus ended up having a problem with him not accomplishing anything, then he could stop chatting up that pretty blonde girl, get off his arse, and come out and wait for Sirius himself.

James walked over to the side railing and looked disinterestedly at the dark water passing below. He took one last drag on his cigarette, before throwing it overboard and watching its orange glow disappear into the night. He blew into his hands, rubbed them together, and then set off toward the third class entrance.

He wasn't even halfway across the ship when he heard the sudden clang of metal against metal and the sound of hurried feet running down the stairs leading into the well deck. He glanced curiously in that direction, but it was too dark to see anything clearly and several shipboard objects were blocking his view. With an agitated sigh, he shoved his hands in his coat pockets, and resumed his course toward the stairs. It seemed as though Sirius had decided to show his ugly mug after all.

James was just nearing the stairs, thinking of all the possible rude names he could call the other man, when a red-headed woman burst from the steps and raced toward him, seemingly so intent on running away from whatever that seemed to be chasing her that she didn't see him. James didn't see her either, until the last minute, and it was too late to move.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed, as the girl collided into him, knocking all the air out of him. She lost her balance upon their collision, and almost tumbled to the ground, but James quickly grabbed her upper arm and steadied her.

He got a brief glance of what she looked like – enough to tell that she was _not_ third class and upset – before she ripped her arm away with a terrified cry, and pushed past him. He turned, intent on stopping her, but she was far out of his reach by then. He took a few hesitant steps after her, but stopped, thinking better of it.

James contemplated for a moment, staring at her disappearing figure. He sighed, annoyed, before turning on his heel, and walking back towards the stairs. He had better things to do than chase after and try to comfort a hysterical first class girl. After all, if the girl had wanted his help, she wouldn't have run away in the first place.

"Probably didn't get the diamond she wanted for her birthday," James mused, rolling his eyes. "As if she would know what real misery is…"

He paused at the stairs, and then glanced over his shoulder, trying to spot her, but the machinery was blocking any area where she could have run to. Only then, did it strike him as odd that a crying, _first class _girl was running _away _from her area of the ship and right into the third class. Didn't the members of society usually think that the third class was diseased?

And why had she come down here to cry to begin with? Couldn't she go be upset in her own, more elegant surroundings and stop invading the third class area? If there was one thing that irked James more than Gideon Prewett, Severus Snape, and Death Eaters, it was when society people had to go, and -

Unexpectedly, a thought struck James…Perhaps this girl had run all the way to the stern because she was so terribly upset that she was planning on doing something terribly _stupid_…

Suddenly filled with alarm, he turned back around and ran for the edge of the stern. While he was already berating himself for not following after the distressed girl in the first place, James had to wonder _why _everything seemed to happen to him. All he wanted to do was to go back to the general area, warm his fingers up, and have a few good drinks; was that too much to ask? Obviously someone thought so, and now he had to go check on a stupid rich girl to make sure she _wasn't _going to do anything thick, just so he satisfy his bloody conscience –

James stopped short when the girl came into view again, and the first thing he noticed that – even from behind – she was breathtakingly beautiful. The second thing he noticed was that she was hanging on the other side of the railing.

His heart skipped a beat when he realized exactly what he was seeing and panic rose in his chest. What was she _doing_? Was she going to…_jump_? Why on Earth would she want to do something as mad as jump off the back of _Titanic_?

But he didn't have the time to think of her reasons; all James knew was that he had to stop this girl…before she made a horrible mistake.

Cautiously, he stepped toward her, trying to make as little noise as possible. It seemed, however, that she was too caught up in her grief to notice her surroundings. She was trembling fiercely, and her fiery red hair was blowing softly in the wind. She looked slightly familiar (although James was sure he'd recall if he'd met her before) and perhaps if the light above the flagpole was a bit brighter, he might've been able to recognise her.

He was just a few feet behind her, when she suddenly leaned forward, and her grip on the railing loosened. James took a deep breath; it was now or never.

"Don't do it."

* * *

Lily's eyes snapped open.

No! She had been ready! Why couldn't anything go the way she wanted it for once? And _why _did the only person on the _Titanic_ who seemed to have noticed her have to show up _now_?

She whipped her head around, and her eyes took a few seconds to focus on the speaker. It was a young man; he couldn't be more than twenty, with his messy, black hair, and twinkling hazel eyes. He was a steerage passenger – the same one she had probably run into earlier – but handsome nonetheless. If the lighting had been a bit better and if her vision had been so blurry, she might've been able to recognize him from somewhere. But where had she ever been in contact with a handsome steerage man before?

He took a hesitant step toward her, as if realizing he had successfully got her attention, and Lily suddenly remembered what she was supposed to be doing. She couldn't let this man come near her; if she did, he'd pull her back on board, and she'd be returned to Lucius like a lost coin –

"Don't come any closer!" she cried warningly, her voice trembling. The man froze, and she glanced back down at the dark water below. This was her only chance to escape from Lucius! She had to do this! "I – I'll let go!"

There was silence from behind for a moment, and then; "No, you won't."

Lily twisted around to face him better, her temper beginning to rise. Did _everyone_ on this bloody ship seem to think that she could make a decision by herself?__

"_What?_ What do you mean, 'no, you won't'?" Lily exclaimed angrily, glaring at him. He didn't quail under her angry gaze that usually sent servants running for cover. Instead, he jammed his hands into his pockets – trying to look relaxed, but failing miserably – and stared right back. Infuriated with him, she continued, "Don't you presume to tell me what I will and will not do. You don't know me."

"True," he replied, with a shrug of his shoulders. He was acting as though he often talked to hysterical girls hanging off the back of ocean liners. "But I do know that if you really wanted to jump, you would've done it already."

She stared at him, now quite confused. First, he had been telling her not to jump, and now he was questioning whether or not she was brave enough to let go? And why would he care anyway?

"I would've done it, if you hadn't distracted me! Go away!" she exclaimed, twisting back around to face the water. She half-expected him to turn away – like others would have done – mumbling about stupid rich girls under his breath. But instead of receding footsteps, another sound came to her ears.

"I can't. I'm involved now."

She tore her eyes away from the water once more, exasperated that he was once again distracting her. He was now only an arm's length away from her, seemingly having moved closer during the few seconds that her back had been turned.

"What's _that_ have to do with anything?"

"Well, if I back away now, and let you jump…I'm going to have to live with that decision and the guilt for the rest of my life…" He explained slowly, clearly only just thinking of all this at the moment. He ran a nervous hand through his hair, and continued, "And _then_ I'll have to wake up _everyday_ knowing that I didn't do anything to stop you from jumping and that I had a hand in your death - "

"You wouldn't feel guilty – It's not like I mean something to you. I'm just another petty, society girl…" Lily interrupted. She looked at his face, searching for some hidden emotion, but there was no to be found. Whoever this man was, he was genuinely concerned about her safety. "And besides," she added quickly to cover up for her staring. "What would you do if I did…jump?"

"Probably jump right in after you," he replied without any hesitation.

"Don't be stupid. You'd be killed." she shot back.

"Nah, I'll be fine. I'm a good swimmer," he assured her, waving his hand dismissively. "Besides, I'm more worried about how cold that water's going to be, than whether I survive the fall or not."

He kept his eyes on her as he spoke, and she looked away, trying not to let him see exactly how afraid she was now that he had mentioned all those things. There was a very pregnant pause between them for a few moments, before Lily's curiosity finally got the better of her and she asked, "H-How cold?"

"Dunno for sure. Probably around freezing, give or take a few degrees." He responded with the air of someone talking about something as boring as the weather rather than a life or death situation.

Lily gulped nervously, and glanced quickly at the water below. Suddenly, it didn't seem like so inviting…She had thought this would be the quickest way to end it all, but from what this man was saying, it would be a lot more painful than she had imagined.

"You ever been to Hogwarts?"

His voice cut through her muddled thoughts like a knife, and she looked back at him once again. Why the bloody hell was he talking about _Hogwarts _at a time like this?

"_What_?"

"You know, Hogwarts School for Gentlemen and - "

"I know what Hogwarts is!" she interrupted, exasperated.

"Sorry," he responded, putting his hands up in defence. "Er…Well, I was a student at Hogwarts for a bit, and it has this huge lake on the property. One winter, the lake froze over, and my friends and I decided it'd be fun to go take a walk out on it." He glanced at her, as if to make sure she was listening. She had to wonder how mad he really was, and whether this stupid story had anything to do with what they were talking about. "Well, that was a pretty bad idea, 'cause the lake wasn't as frozen as we thought it was. Just a few feet from shore, I fell through some thin ice, and the water – just like that down there - " He walked over to the rail, closing the gap between them, and glanced over the side.

"The water was freezing. When water that cold hits you, it feels…feels like someone's stabbing you with needles all over your body…You can't breathe, can't think about anything _but_ the pain…" Lily saw him shiver suddenly out of the corner of her eye, and then he continued on. "So I'm really not looking forward to repeating the experience by jumping in after you…I'm kind of hoping that you'll come back over the rail, and get me off the hook."

Lily desperately wanted to come back over the rail too, but – but she couldn't. Whatever brief pain she might cause herself by letting go could never amount to the pain she would feel for the rest of her life if she came back over and went back to her world. She couldn't let it continue like this any more.

"You're mad!" she replied at last. If this young man wanted to risk his life trying to save her from something he couldn't understand, than so be it.

"Sure I am," he replied. He then leaned in close to her; so close that she could feel the warmth of his breath on the back of her neck. "But if you don't mind me by saying so, miss, _I'm_ not the one hanging off the back of the ship."

Gulping, she looked over her shoulder, and into his warm eyes. They were so sincere and inviting, and such a change from Lucius's cold grey set, and Riddle's hateful ones. Maybe…maybe…

"Now, come on. Give me your hand," he continued, extending his own, shaking hand out to her. She stared at it. This was her choice; she could either take his hand and go back, or… "You don't want to do this."

Her eyes flickered briefly to the water below, and then back to his outstretched hand. Trembling with uncertainly and fear, she slowly unfastened one hand and reached out for his. His grasped her hand protectively in his, and Lily felt – for the first time in a long time – that she was safe. Slowly, she shifted her footing, and turned around to face him. In the moment that their eyes met, she knew that she had done the right thing.

"I'm James Potter."

"Lily Evans," she replied, her voice still trembling. For a second, she thought she saw something like recognition flash on his face, but it was gone as soon as she had seen it.

"At least it's short," James said, with a small grin. "Now, let's get you back on the right side of the rail, and then someplace warm."

Lily nodded numbly, and began to climb. The height was terrifying now that she had decided to turn back, and she moved slowly, as to not offset her balance. But when she didn't consider, as she put her first foot on the railing, was her clothing's inadequacies for climbing.

It happened in a matter of seconds; the silk of her dress snagged under her heel, and she slipped. With a piercing shriek, Lily plunged downward.

* * *

Sirius wondered if Lucius Malfoy was ever going to shut up, and go off to bed. Maybe the rumours about him being a blood-sucking vampire were true after all.

The two of them, Tom Riddle, and a few other first class men had been sitting at the same table in the first class smoking room for hours, and still no one had gotten up to retire. They had played cards for a bit (Sirius had to lose to Riddle to stay on his good side), and then talked about stupid things like stocks or Parliament for the rest of the time. No mentions of Death Eaters or anything of that sort had been a topic of discussion, and Sirius supposed they weren't going to be brought up any time soon.

He glanced exasperatedly over at the small clock above the fireplace mantle, trying to guess when most men decided to retire for the night. The time read eleven o'clock, and with a small stab of guilt, he realized that he was supposed to have met James over an hour ago. He was certainly going to get an earful from him about that tomorrow…

With a roll of his eyes, Sirius glanced around the smoking room again. Much to his disappointment, there were still quite a few men up, playing cards (like Riddle) or having one last brandy, and it didn't look like they – or his 'companions' at the table – were going to go to bed any time soon. He'd probably have to make up some excuse to getaway, and then he'd have to go find James, apologize to him, and then make up _another _excuse concerning his tardiness.

"Sirius, my young friend," Riddle declared suddenly. He looked up, and found that the few other first class men had left the table, leaving him alone with the two older men. Riddle was staring at him over folded hands, as if he had just spotted him for the first time tonight. "Lucius has just informed me that you want to become a Death Eater."

After fighting down the urge to vomit at being called Riddle's 'friend', Sirius replied evenly, "Yes, yet I'm afraid I don't know quite as much about your organization as I would like to. I know that Regulus is going to become a member, but he's been rather sparse with information as of late."

Those were both outright lies; he knew far more about Death Eaters than he probably should, and Regulus _never _shut up about his impending initiation into the group. Thankfully, Riddle seemed to have bought his story, but he kept a wary eye on the younger man as he talked. Sirius stared back with, trying to look interested, not look Riddle in the eye, and keep a poker face at the same time (making an unbelievably strange facial expression).

There were all sorts of rumours circulating the streets about Riddle as of late, but the one that most worried Sirius right now was the one concerning Riddle's 'ability' to read minds. He had heard from all sorts of sources that the head of the Death Eaters could tell what a person was thinking through their emotions or body language, and while he had scoffed those rumours when he had been safely tucked away in the Order's Headquarters, he wasn't going to take any chance with those cold, grey eyes just a few paces away. Hopefully, he had skewed up his expression so much that Riddle would just think that he was mental, and wouldn't try to 'read' his thoughts.

"I'm sure you _at least_ know the main goals of our organization?" Riddle asked, sounding exasperated with the young Black. Without waiting for an answer, he continued, "Even if you do, I'll inform you once again, so that you can…_decide _whether or not you truly want to become part of this."

Sirius knew what was coming next; he had heard it often enough from old Mad-Eye during Order meetings: An aspiring member would meet with Riddle or Malfoy and be told the mission. If, after hearing that, he still wanted to go through with it, he'd be bound to the group, and there'd be no backing out unless you wanted to be sent to an early grave. Or, if he decided that he really didn't want to be a Death Eater, he'd be let off, and then would be murdered by a _loyal _member a day later, so he couldn't talk about what he heard.

Either way was dangerous, but hat he would be doing would have more risks than the two combined; he'd be taking on the role of spy. The Order had tried to get several spies into the main circle of Death Eater for years, and they had only succeeded once because – if the rumours were had any truth to them – Riddle _didn't_ take kindly to spies in his organization. Several good Order members had been killed or tortured after being discovered, and Sirius really didn't want to add his name to that list. But he wouldn't be playing the role of spy long – a week at the longest – so the chance of him being discovered was quite low.

"I'm fully committed to doing this, with or without knowing the purpose," Sirius responded, crossing his fingers under the table. Both Malfoy and Riddle looked impressed, but not surprised by his exclamation; it seemed Bellatrix had once again stolen his lines.

"Well, if you've paid any attention to our country and the world, you've had to have noticed what's been happening as of the last few years," Malfoy began with a superior air. Remembering that he liked to talk a lot, Sirius shook his head. "Ah, I forgot. You went to Hogwarts, didn't you? Well, then of _course_ you wouldn't know it as a problem, with that fool, Dumbledore, as Headmaster. He's one of the main supporters of the problem, and I suppose he told you that all that was happening was just _excellent_, didn't he?"

Sirius never got a chance to answer, for at that moment, Severus Snape strode up to the table, wearing a sourer look than usual. Snape shot him a heated glare (it seemed he still had forgiven Sirius for his actions at Hogwarts), before turning to Malfoy.

"Lucius."

Malfoy stopped talking – Sirius had tuned him out to glare back at Snape (just because he was a slimy git) – and looked at his valet, wearing a slightly exasperated expression.

"Make it quick, Severus," Malfoy replied with a bite of impatience. "Tom and I would like to get back to informing Sirius here, of what's expected of a Death Eater."

Snape glanced at him, and Sirius thought that there something akin to disbelief in his eyes. Before he could determine that, however, Snape looked back to Malfoy.

"I'm afraid that might have to wait for another time," he stated, though his tone indicated that he clearly thought it should not occur at all. "For there's a problem concerning your fiancée at the moment."

Lily…

It had been so hard to lie to her, and act like he didn't care any more…He knew that she always thought of him like a brother, and he had seen how betrayed she was when he had talked to her. He'd never forget that look in her eyes, and it hurt to know that he had been behind the pain. He fidgeted nervously in his chair, wondering what the problem with Lily was at the moment.

"What has she gone and done _now_?"

Both he and Malfoy seemed to know that Lily tended to do…well, stupid things when she got upset. While Sirius was started to get concerned with whether she had hurt herself or not, the older man seemed to more worried about whether she had broken anything expensive. Well, at least he was _worried _about her for once.

"I don't believe she's done anything, but a steward has informed me that she was attacked by some steerage filth only a few minutes ago."

_Attacked!_ But who would attack someone like _Lily_? Sirius sat up straight in his chair at once, and listened intently to what Snape had to say.

"_What?_ How dare that – that…" Malfoy hissed after a moment. His tone was dangerous, and an angry flush had appeared on his face. "Who was it? _How did this happen?_"

"The only information I was given about her attacker was that he's steerage. They were found out on the stern. It appears that Miss Lily had wandered out there, and the steerage man attacked her while her back was turned." Snape continued, apparently not worried by Malfoy's reaction or about Lily either. "The stewards have gone to get the Master at Arms, and they would like you out on deck."

"Very well," Malfoy replied, trying to compose himself, though he still looked very angry. He looked at Riddle – who had remained silent during the whole exchange – after he had calmed a bit, and asked, "Will you be joining me?"

"No," Riddle said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Take Sirius instead; perhaps this will teach him something about the filth we're trying to put a stop to."

Without a word, Malfoy motioned for him to get up, turned on his heel, and walked toward the exit of the smoking room. Slowly, Sirius got out of his chair and followed. As they passed by the fireplace, he took another look at the clock upon the mantle piece. A feeling of dread rose up in his chest as he remembered that James was supposed to have been on the stern too…

That feeling grew worse once they were out on deck, and Sirius realized that he might've just caused a whole mess of trouble for his two friends.

* * *

"Here you go miss. This'll warm you up nicely."

"I'm not cold."

The steward didn't seem to believe her, for she was sitting far up on one of _Titanic's _numerous benches, and was burrowed into a steamer blanket. He obviously wasn't a first class steward or very experienced either, because he kept pestering her.

"Well, it'll cheer you up, anyway. My mum says that a nice cup of tea will cure any problems you've got." He pressed on, pushing the cup of tea toward her. She slowly reached out, and took it, more just to make the young steward leave her alone than to drink it. "Though, I'm not sure just one cup will cure what happened tonight. That must've been a terrible ordeal you went through, ma'am."

Lily didn't answer, and instead glanced over in James Potter's direction. He was standing further back on the stern, and two burly crewmembers were on either side of him, standing guard. He seemed to be taking this all quite well, but when he noticed she was looking at him, he cocked his head to the side a bit, as if to say, _"Well, aren't you going to tell them what _really _happened?"_

It had been James's quick reflexes that had saved her from plunging sixty feet into the ocean, and he had had the strength to hold on to her as she panicked and trashed at the air, trying to pull herself up. He had calmed her down (though, Lily realised with a frown, he _had_ told her to shut up quite a few times, just so she'd listen to him) just enough so she could pull herself far enough to where he could reach her other hand.

James had stumbled when he had pulled her completely back on board – and for one wild moment, Lily had thought she was going to tumble back into the ocean – and they had landed in a heap on the deck, James nearly landing completely on top of her, both of them gasping for breath. And that was how the steward had found them minutes later, attracted by her screams for help…

She looked away quickly from James quickly, and stared down at the tea in her cup. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment as she recalled that incident, yet…just thinking about how warm and pleasant she had felt with James's arms around her sent tingles of excitement through her body -

"You really ought to drink that up before it gets cold, ma'am," the steward bothered, bringing her pleasant thoughts to an abrupt end.

"Oh…yes," Lily murmured, bringing the teacup to her lips and taking a sip. She stared at the steward for a moment, realizing for the first time that he had to be younger than she was. His uniform looked like it was a size too big for him (though he was probably expected to grow into) for his trouser legs and shirt arms were rolled up so they would fit, and he kept pushing up the big cap sitting on top of his bright red hair. "…What's your name?"

"Bill, ma'am. Bill Weasley."

"Weasley?" Lily asked, glancing at him. "Not Arthur Weasley's son?"

"Yes, ma'am," Bill replied, not sounding at all surprised that someone like Lily would know who his father was. After all, _everyone _had heard about the Weasley scandal years ago.

"Shouldn't…Shouldn't you be at Hogwarts?"

"I would've started my fourth year back last September, but I decided to work instead. I've got four little brothers at home, and my dad doesn't bring in much money anymore, so I thought I'd help out," he explained sheepishly. "My mum wasn't very keen on the idea – said I was too young – but I've found some respectable jobs despite me being only fourteen. I almost didn't get this job here, but they were desperate for some workers, so here I am."

She nodded, and took another sip of her tea. "Well, I think that you're a very noble young man, Bill. Not many boys your age would give up a chance for education at Hogwarts like you did."

Bill blushed scarlet, and mumbled something that she couldn't quite catch. A small smile crept on Lily's lips as she realized that Bill probably hadn't been complimented by any rich, fancy ladies before…

"Well? What are you waiting for? Arrest this filth!"

Lily's smiled disappeared, and her insides filled with dread the moment she heard Lucius's voice. She glanced quickly over in James's direction, and found that her fiancé was already over there, glaring at the other man if he was some bug under his shoe. For a brief moment, Lily was confused; what on Earth was Lucius doing here? She hadn't called for him, had she?

But then, she saw one of the crew members take out a pair of handcuffs, and she remembered. They all still thought that James had attacked her! They were going to arrest him when he had done nothing wrong, and she hadn't spoken a word in his defence! Now furious with herself for getting distracted, Lily got up from the bench, and hurriedly walked over to the small group of men.

"What made you _think_ that you could put your hands on _my_ fiancée?" Lucius accosted, clearly watching with some vindictive pleasure as James was handcuffed. The other man didn't answer, but looked over Lucius's shoulder and at her.

His expression held a sudden understanding for her…as if he had finally realized what – or more importantly,_ who _– she had been trying to get away from, and why she had wanted to jump so badly. But even seeing Lucius now, in all his fury, hadn't changed her mind about turning back. James Potter had saved her, and now it was time for her to return the favour.

"You will look at me when I'm talking to you, you filth!" Lucius exclaimed, obviously noticing that James's attention had wavered elsewhere. "You are the most - "

"Lucius!" Lily cried, hearing the telltale signs of one of Lucius's famous outbursts, and running the rest of the way to group. If he had heard her, he made no sign of it, and continued on with his rant. She grabbed onto his arm, and tried again. "Lucius, _stop it!_ It – It was an accident."

He paused for a moment, as if trying to register exactly what she had said, and then looked down at her. He was furious – worse than before – and she almost backed away from him then and there.

"A – An…_accident_?" he repeated slowly. He looked a bit calmer as he spoke, but his tone wavered and gave away the fact that he thought a steerage man ending on top of his fiancée was no accident.

"Yes, an accident…Stupid of me, really…" Lily explained, glancing nervously at the other men in the group. She had just noticed Sirius and Snape in the background (both of them wearing identical, sour looks) and the stern Master at Arms holding onto James's forearm, and her need for a good excuse intensified. "I – I was leaning over the rail…and I slipped!" Snape and Lucius exchanged disbelieving looks, and Sirius gaped at her. Panicked that they might not believe her, she pressed on; "What I mean was that I was leaning _far_ over to see the…ah…the…"

"…The propellers?" Lucius substituted after seeing the frantic circling motions she had been making with her arms.

"Yes! The propellers! I was leaning over to see them, and my dress caught under my shoe, and I slipped…but luckily Mr. Potter here," she gestured at James, calling attention to him once more, " – saved me, and if he hadn't had such quick reflexes, we _both_ might've gone overboard."

Lucius stared at her unblinkingly, and she prayed that he'd accept her story without question.

"The propellers…" he murmured after a pause. He voice was hard and his tone doubtful. Lily's heart sank. He hadn't believed her! James was still going to be arrested!

But before she could open her mouth to add more to the story, Sirius – looking as though he had wanted to open his mouth for some time – exclaimed, "Well, if that's the case, I think this man's a hero. Wouldn't you agree, Lucius?"

"A hero…Yes, a hero," Lucius agreed, quickly regaining his usual cool and confidant air. He turned to the Master at Arms and – as if he hadn't heard Lily beforehand – said, "She wanted to see the propellers, and slipped…Obviously an accident."

The Master at Arms, however, didn't look like he had bought her story as readily as Sirius had (the other two still looked doubtful), and instead of taking the handcuffs off James, he turned to him, and asked, "Was that the way of it?"

* * *

James glanced questioningly at Lily. Her eyes were desperate, and she just barely inclined her head to indicate that he should say something before they all got suspicious.

After he had realized that she was the same Lily Evans that Sirius had talked about only hours before _and _the same sad, first class girl that he had been so captivated by on deck, he had decided that he'd do anything that she asked him to do. After all, she was going to be _marrying _Lucius Malfoy; this was the least he could to do for her…

"Yes. That's what happened," James insisted, nodding his head. He felt the Master at Arms' grip on his forearm loosen, and the rustle of keys from behind. The Master at Arms unlocked the handcuffs, and backed away, muttering crossly to himself.

"Well…Now that we've got this little misunderstanding sorted out, shall we go back to our brandies?" Sirius asked merrily, breaking the tense silence between everyone. James shot him an irritated glare – because he had probably had _too_ many brandies already – while Malfoy nodded in agreement. He still looked angry, but he barely glanced at James as he turned to his fiancée.

"You must be freezing, Lily!" he exclaimed, putting his hands on her arms and trying to warm her up. James noticed that Lily stiffened at his touch, and she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

She had the most wonderful eyes…Their depth and colour had taken his breath away when he had seen them up close for the first time, when she had finally turned around and taken his hand. He hadn't been able to taken his eyes off of her, and nothing had felt more right than when he had held her in his arms for that brief moment -

"Come on. Let's get you inside," Malfoy continued, wrapping his arm around Lily's shoulder as he turned, and began to lead her away.

James gaped after him; he'd thought that first class gentlemen were supposed to have _manners_. This man certainly didn't; he hadn't even given him a sign of gratitude for saving his fiancée! Malfoy probably thought that people of the third class didn't know what a thank you was in the first place.

Arrogant bastard.

But he wasn't going to say anything; if Malfoy didn't want to thank him, then that was all right with him because it was unlikely that he'd even accept a thanks from _that_ man. Sirius, on the other hand, seemed to think that a reward was necessary, for he quickly followed after Malfoy and opened his big mouth.****

"Perhaps – if I'm not being too bold – a little something for him, Lucius? He _did_ save Miss Evans, after all."

Malfoy stopped, and turned back around. He sized James up for a moment, before looking at Snape.

"I think twenty pounds shall do – oh wait, you're probably going to _work_ in America, aren't you?" Malfoy asked, with a small chuckle. James glowered at him. Oh yes; it _was_ terribly funny to actually _work_ for a living. "Twenty dollars then, Severus." Then, he turned back around to Lily. "I do hope I'm being generous enough, Sirius."

"Really, Lucius," Lily interjected, stepping away from him as he tried to put his arm around her again. There was disgust evident in her tone, but Malfoy seemed to take it as sarcasm. "That's the price for saving the woman you love?"

Malfoy observed her for a moment, and then looked back at him. Suddenly, turned on his heel, walked over, and stood in front James. For the first time in their short meeting, James finally had the feeling that Malfoy was treating him more like a human than an animal that had rolled in something disgusting.

"Lily is displeased with what I have offered," he began. "So, Mr…er…?"

"Potter. James Potter."

"Yes, Mr. Potter. So I was wondering if you would like to join us for dinner in two nights time to…tell our group your heroic tale." Malfoy shot Snape an amused glance, and James was smart enough to realize when he was being mocked. He'd rather take twenty dollars than have to sit with a bunch of Death Eaters for a whole dinner…But Sirius was giving him a look that reminded him of Remus in a bad mood (which is what he'd be in when he finally found out that they had got nothing done tonight) and Lily was glancing at him hopefully…

"Sure. I'll be there."

It had been Lily that had cemented his decision. If he went to that dinner, he'd get to be around her more…And anywhere she was, was a good place to be.

"Perfect," Malfoy murmured, a smirk appearing on his lips. He walked back over to Lily, and began leading her back toward the first class section. She glanced one last time over her shoulder at him, a smile on her lips –

"Well, well…If it isn't famous James Potter…Always were in trouble with the law, weren't you?" Snape's oily voice asked snidely.

James tore his gaze away from Lily, and looked over at him. If there was one person in the world that he hated more than Gideon Prewett, it was Severus Snape. The two of them had hated each other the moment they had seen each other at Hogwarts, and the feeling of resentment hadn't decreased since.

"Always were the one to slink behind someone more powerful than you, weren't you?" James shot back, glaring. Snape didn't offend easily – probably because James had called him every foul name under the sun at Hogwarts – and he didn't look offended at the moment.

"Such a weak retort. You must be losing your famous _charm_," Snape scoffed. "But I wasn't surprised when I found out that it was _you _who had attacked Miss Lily. You always did seem like the type who'd try to take advantage of - "

"If you had _listened_, Snape," James snapped, his anger rising. "You would've known that I saved her life - "

"I'm smarter than that, Potter – I saw those looks you exchanged with her. Do you actually expect me to _believe_ that little lie you fabricated? And do you want to know what else I don't believe?"

"Not particularly."

"I find it hard to believe that it's just a simple _coincidence_ that you and Black over here, just _happen _to be on the same steamer, at the same time, and headed for the same destination. You might've fooled Lucius Malfoy - " Snape explained acidly, moving in to close the distance between them. He glared down his long, hooked nose at James, and he glared back definitely, "but you can't fool me. The tables have turned, Potter, because I've got the power here…There's no Dumbledore on board _Titanic _to save your arse when you get in too deep." He smirked, and James found it hard to control the urge to punch him. "So I'll be watching…_Both _of you."

He sneered at them one last time before sweeping off like the overgrown bat that he was, and leaving them behind with his ominous threat.

* * *

Petunia had thrown a fit about the state her dress was in when they had finally arrived back at their rooms. Far from being worried about her sister's near death experience, she was more moved by the fact that Lily had ripped a very expensive and very elegant gown beyond repair.

_"You can't even wear it any more, Lily! How could you? I told you to be careful!"_

"Like I was going to wear it more than once anyway," Lily muttered gloomily, watching herself brush through her widely tangled hair in the stateroom's vanity mirror. "I suppose if I told her a steerage man had touched it, she'd burn it, and wouldn't complain a bit…"

It'd be just like Petunia to do something like that, and to hate something because she couldn't understand it…like the way she hated the lower classes, even though half the people in those classes were ten times the person she could ever be -

She flung her brush back down onto the vanity, furious. The brush bounced off the vanity, and onto the carpeted floor. With an annoyed sigh, she bent down to pick it up, and when she sat back up again and looked into a mirror, a surprise greeted her eyes.

Lucius was reflected in her mirror, leaning against the doorframe in his bedclothes, watching her with an expression that she couldn't identify. She glanced over her shoulder at him, wondering what on Earth he wanted this late at night.

"I know you've been upset with me," he muttered, straightening back up and walking into her room. "And I don't pretend to know why."

Lily didn't answer, amazed by the fact that he had actually noticed that something was wrong with her for once. She was touched by how unguarded and open he seemed…until she saw the black, velvet box clutched in his hands. Her heart fell as he sat on the edge of the vanity, pushing her things away to make room, and moving the box into plain view.

"I hope that this might cheer you up. I was going to save it until a bit later, but I thought it'd be better if you could have it now," he explained, unlatching the box and opening it up.

Inside was a dazzling diamond necklace, dripping with large emeralds, and sparkling in the dim light of her room. Lily gaped at it; she had never been impressed by jewellery, but this had to be the most beautiful thing she had seen in her life.

"Y – You're giving that…_to me_?"

"Of course," he replied, with a small smirk. He gently took it out of the box, and laid it on her neck. "It's a Malfoy family heirloom."

"Oh, Lucius, I don't deserve this - "

"You're going to be a Malfoy, Lily," he explained, getting off her vanity, and bending down to her level. She glanced at him, the feeling of awe ebbing away slowly as she realized what he had said. "And Malfoys _always_ deserve the best."

They stared, studying one another. She couldn't possibly be the proper Malfoy that Lucius wanted, and he knew that. Although he was willing to give her a chance…and as she looked at him, he knew he was at least _trying_ to become her vision of a Prince Charming.

"Those emeralds remind me of your eyes…"

Lily tore her eyes away from him, and looked back at her reflection. Suddenly, she didn't like what she saw. The necklace was splayed out across her neck, as if it owned her instead of the other way around. It wasn't so beautiful any more either. It was dark, ugly, and looked like a fancy noose… She slowly reached up, and put her hand over the necklace, trying to cover it up.

But it felt even worse than it looked. It was so heavy, and cold, and constricting… She didn't want it any more if it was going to feel like that every time she wore it. She glanced at Lucius, ready to tell him that she couldn't accept the necklace, but he was looking at her so hopefully, she couldn't bear to crush his mood.

"I-It's wonderful, Lucius. I'll cherish it."

But as she stared at her reflection in the mirror, she realized that even if she gave Lucius a chance to change his ways, he wouldn't. Just like the diamonds in the necklace wouldn't become lighter, he wouldn't give in…

It was ironic how a simple necklace could reflect every facet of his personality perfectly.

* * *

Thanks for reading and please review.


	5. Chapter Five

**Author's Notes: **Hello all! Sorry for the slow update; I haven't had much time lately to get on the computer because I've got lots of activities going on now. Track sucks. Anyway, thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter. You have no idea how much that means to me! Thanks again.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Harry Potter or James Cameron's _Titanic_.

**Chapter 5**

_April 11th, 1912_

_5:35 AM_

_RMS Titanic_

"Remind me _why _we're getting up this bloody early just t – to - " a sleepy yawn interrupted Remus as he slowly trailed after a surprisingly energetic James, " – have a friendly chat with Padfoot?"

James glanced back at him, annoyed. "I told you last night, Moony. We have to talk to Sirius _now_, because with him playing the role as spy instead of nosy cousin, he won't be able to disappear for hours at an end without causing suspicion."

"Why didn't you have this chat last night? You know I like to have a - " Remus barely stifled his next yawn, " – a bit of a lie in."

"And you say I don't listen!" James exclaimed, pounding up the metal stairs leading up to the upper decks. "Honestly, you were too busy chatting up that blonde last night to even _listen _to what I had to say…I do hope you _at least_ learned her name during the time you were ignoring me, otherwise I'll hit you."

"Her name's_ Sigrid_."

"What, no last name to her?"

"She's got one, but I can't pronounce it. She's Scandinavian – Swedish by the sounds of her accent – and she doesn't speak very much English, so I had a hard enough time understanding her without you yelling in my ear."

"I wasn't _yelling_. I was just talking louder than normal because the general area was so damn noisy - "

"Not any louder than the Gryffindor common room when you and Sirius always started something up."

"Yeah, well…" James mumbled, as they arrived on the D-Deck landing, and started up the last set of stairs. He shrugged distractedly, and then proceeded to chance the subject. "Did you happen to catch anything I said last night or were you too busy trying to understand _Sigrid's_ mangled English?"

"I caught most of it," Remus replied, annoyed with James's accusatory tone. "You were blabbing about Lucius Malfoy and his fiancée, and then something about…er…_propellers_?" He glanced, baffled, at James, as if finally realizing something important. "…That makes no sense whatsoever. Were you drunk last night, Prongs?"

"No! Why do you always assume that when I say something stupid?"

"Oh, so you're admitting that what you said was stupid?"

"_No!_"

They had reached the C-Deck landing, and James angrily shoved the metal door leading out to the forward poop deck open. They waltzed outside, the cool morning air making them shiver. Night was beginning to fade away, but the moon and stars were still visible even though bits of pink were starting to show behind _Titanic's _large funnels. The deck was empty, and no passenger in his right mind (which explained a bit about James and Sirius) would even think to be out and about this early in the morning.

"Where is he?" Remus asked, brushing his hair out of his eyes. He glanced around the deserted deck, and then at James.

"Dunno," James replied causally, knowing perfectly well that his lax attitude would get Remus riled up even more.

"This _is_ where he said that we should meet, right?"

"Not sure, really. I just presumed he meant here; I only caught the word 'deck' when we were talking because he sneezed mid-syllable – I was just joking, Moony! Jesus!" James exclaimed, catching the murderous glare on the other's face. He had forgotten just how cranky Remus could be in the mornings. "I'm certain that this is the spot…Padfoot's probably just late…as usual."

"Too bad you're _wrong_…as usual," Sirius's voice – seemingly coming out of nowhere – replied. James and Remus glanced up and down the deck for their missing companion, but didn't spot him anywhere.

"Where are you, you prat?"

"Oy! Above you, Prongs!" another familiar voice called.

James turned around, and looked up. Sirius and Peter, grinning and waving down at them from just a few decks above. They were both leaning over the gunwale, looking too awake for this early in the morning. Peter was already dressed in his crisp steward's uniform, but Sirius, it seemed, was still in his bedclothes, and was wearing a large, comfy looking robe over them.

"Well, it seems that miracles can happen after all," Remus muttered dryly.

"Talking about us behind our backs again, eh Moony?" Sirius had to shout to be heard over the distance and wind. "You know that that's not a very nice thing to do!"

"It also isn't very nice to have a shouting match this early in the morning! So get your arses down here, before I come up and throw you down!"

Sirius rolled his eyes and muttered something to Peter that James couldn't catch, but he assumed it was about Remus's grouchy mood, for both of them had knowing grins on their faces when they finally started walking down to the poop deck. Remus glared at them both – obviously knowing too what they had been talking about.

They walked over to the starboard side of the ship to meet the other two, and paused at the end of the stairs. Peter and Sirius took their time descending, obviously enjoying irritating Remus even more.

"Terribly sorry to cause you such an inconvenience, Master Moony, " Sirius said once they were at the bottom of the stairs. He gave a short bow, and then promptly plopped himself down on the bottom step, Peter sitting beside him. He lazily ran a hand through his unkempt hair, trying to make it look nice and neat. "It'll never happen again."

"I'm sure it won't," Remus muttered, sitting down on the deck in front of the stairs. James remained standing, and leaned against the rail, observing his friends happily.

He hadn't been able to spend time with everyone like this since their last days at Hogwarts. He and Remus, of course, had shared the same flat in London, and always got to see each other until they were sick of one another, while Sirius and Peter lived by themselves or with their family members. Three years of just seeing the others at Order meetings or working on a mission would be enough to tear any other friendship apart…except theirs.

They a special bond; they were like brothers, and as long as they saw each other on a regular basis like they had been, their friendship would always remain that way. Somehow, they'd always figure out a way to get together and have a normal chat, but - even though it pained him to admit it - they would never be as close as they had been. The security of Hogwarts had disappeared; they had all changed, and so had the world... They were no longer schoolboys causing mayhem for the fun of; they were young men, fighting with their lives to prevent an all-out war from starting on the streets of London, and all across England -

James shook himself away from those thoughts. This was not a time to be thinking about that; this was a time to enjoy the precious time alone he had with all four of his friends.

"Uh-oh…Prongs has that look on his face again," Sirius commented, abruptly returning James's thoughts back to the present. "What have you been thinking about? Hopefully some way to get back at ol' _Snivellus_?"

"I'm sure we could just leap at Snivellus from behind, and beat him over the head with your slippers if you're so eager to get back at him," James replied wryly, ignoring Remus and Peter's vehement exclamations to grin knowingly at Sirius's slipper clad feet. "But I was thinking about how it looks as though you've just rolled out of bed instead."

"Well, as I'm sleeping in the same room as my git of a brother – who happens to be the lightest sleeper in all of England – I couldn't possibly get dressed without him hearing me, waking up, and then inquiring to know where I was going to this early in the morning," Sirius explained, absentmindedly scuffing his slippers on the deck. "And I rather like my slippers, so I wouldn't want to ruin them by getting Snivelly's grease all over them."

"That's typical of you," Remus replied, rolling his eyes in return, before glancing at Peter. "And what's Wormtail doing with you? I didn't know that you knew that he was a steward."

"He didn't," Peter answered, with a small smile. "I ran into him just as he was coming out of his stateroom. I've got the early morning shift, you see."

"But…" James said, peering at Peter questioningly. "I thought you were a third class steward?"

"Oh, I am…They just – just needed a few more people up in first class this morning. You know…with us stopping at Queenstown and everything. More passengers, means more work," Peter explained quickly. There was a peculiar look on his face, and – although it might've just been his over-active imagination on the go again – James could've sworn that he saw something like guilt flash across Peter's face -

"Er…so Sirius told me that you've got some important Order business to take care of this morning," Peter continued, fidgeting under James's unrelenting stare. "Pity that Bellatrix disembarked at Cherbourg, isn't it?"

"Yeah…" Remus sighed, a disappointed tone to his voice. He glanced at the sky, but a moment later he was looking back at Peter, a frown in place on his face. "Wait a minute…How'd _you_ know that we were supposed to have been spying on Bellatrix? That was classified information between the three of us."

Sirius and Peter exchanged a familiar look that James had seen one too many times. It was the same short little glance that had always gotten all of them in trouble in school when one of the professors interrogated them about a certain bit of mischief they had done. While James had long since learned when a poker face came in handy, it seemed that the other two hadn't.

"You told him, didn't you?" Remus accused, obviously noticing the look as well. The other pair once again exchanged looks, confirming both of their suspicions. "Sirius! I can't believe you! You know Dumbledore told us - "

"Oh, put a sock in it, Moony." Sirius yawned, interrupting Remus before he could begin on one of his infamous lectures. The other man snapped his jaw shut, and glared. "In case you're once again having a bout of forgetfulness, Pete's an Order member too. He deserves to know what we're going to be up to, and he's got just as much right to that information as any of us do."

"I know that, but that's not the point."

"What _is_ the point then, Moony? That you've got too big of a stick up your arse to have a little fun?"

Peter glanced at James, eyebrows raised, and looking sheepish. James shrugged at him in return - conveying the fact that he should just leave them be – and returned to watch the increasingly louder row with rapt attention.

Sirius and Remus hadn't had a spat like this in a very long time, which was yet another sign that they had been apart for too long. At Hogwarts, the two of them had always argued with one another during the first week back (it proved to be great entertainment when they argued in the common room in front of the whole House), and if they were to be spending a whole week or so around one another again, they were bound to argue at least once. James was just glad they were getting most of it out now – he certainly didn't want to be around two sulking men for the rest of the voyage.

" – Well, at least I'm not the one who's always blabbing away about our Order mission right under the enemy's noses! You could've been heard by one of them - "

"No one's up at this hour, Remus!"

"_We're up_ at this hour, you prat! What makes you think that Tom Riddle won't be?"

"You're making a big deal out of nothing! I was just telling Peter – like any _good _friend would do – the basic information of what we were doing! If anyone was up (which I highly doubt they were) they'd think I was talking about Bellatrix because she's my bloody _cousin_!"

"You never take anything seriously, do you? And you never listen either! This is exactly why we're having information leaks!"

Silence reigned between the two for a moment, and James moved forward to break the two of them up. Remus had gone a bit too far this time, and he really didn't want a brawl to break out on deck any time soon.

"All right, you two. Now that you've had your, 'Hello-It's-Great-To-See-You-Too' argument - "

"Shut it, James!" both yelled at once, and James backed off instantly.

"Are you…calling _me_ a _spy_?" Sirius asked slowly, leaning forward and narrowing his gaze.

"No."

Remus replied all to quickly for that to be convincing, and his hardened features added to that. Peter glanced between the two, suddenly looking very nervous.

"I wasn't calling you a spy. I was just…commenting on how your lack of knowledge considering the word 'secrecy' is probably why we've been having problems keeping any information safe anymore."

"I can keep my mouth shut when I know it's important!"

"Well, you sure did a hell of a job in sixth year - "

"I told you I was sorry about that! Are you _ever_ going to let me live that down?"

"No."

"Fine then! At least _I'm_ not the one shouting so loudly that the whole bleeding ship has probably learned about the Order!"

"I am _not_ shouting!"

James sighed, exasperated. As much as he enjoyed watching Sirius and Remus get at each other's throats now and then, nothing was more annoying than getting up early to waste time arguing. Weren't they supposed to have been talking about their plan for the day by now? But he didn't dare interrupt them again; the last time he had done that, he had gotten something thrown at him, and he really didn't want a slipper-shaped imprint on his forehead.

He glanced once more at his friends. Both of them were looking quite murderous, while Peter, on the other hand, was trying to inch away from them without causing a violent reaction from either. As this was probably going to go on for quite a while longer, James decided to distract himself with some pleasanter thoughts…

…Like what that enchanting Lily Evans could be doing at the moment.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Sirius and Remus were still arguing, but the subject had changed to something else, and they were currently debating in whispers as First Officer Murdoch had yelled at them to keep it down all the way up from the bridge. James and Peter were sitting off to the side – only bothering to listen in case the other two got into a physical fight – and were playing a game of hearts. It was a rather a rather pointless game as James wasn't concentrating at all, and Peter was half-heartedly slapping random cards down on the deck floor.

"Wish there was something more interesting to do," Peter sighed after James had placed a card down. He reached for a card from the pile on the deck, picked it up, and studied it for a moment before placing into his hand.

"Well if you want to get thrown overboard, then by all means interrupt the two of them," James replied, shrugging his shoulders. "Knew we weren't going to get anything done this early in the morning – Moony's always most ready to argue when he's half asleep."

"Mm-hmm," Peter agreed, shifting through his cards before placing an Ace of Spades down on the deck. "You know what would liven this game up? If these cards would explode. Now that would be interesting."

"The closest thing to an explosion you're going to get with these cards is if I light them on fire."

"…No - No need to take me so seriously, Prongs. It was just a suggestion…Besides, this is the only deck I have left."

James sighed, and put away his tin of matches that he had taken out from his pocket. He then quickly slapped down a random card – ignoring Peter's squeak of protest about how it wasn't in the right order – and glanced around the deck, hoping something more entertaining than what they were doing had appeared in the last few minutes. The deck was still deserted, but something that James hadn't noticed before caught his eye.

Straight across from them was another set of stairs. They seemed to lead up to what was left of the front of the ship – the forecastle, if James remembered his ship terminology correctly. On top of the stairs, like every other set on board, there was a small metal gate separating the forecastle and the poop deck. But unlike all the other gates – which were quite plain – this one had a large, red sign posted on it. James had to squint to read what the white lettering said, "NO PASSENGERS ALLOWED PAST THIS POINT.

Naturally, James's rule-breaking and trouble-making nature kicked in when he noticed that sign, and his curiosity was sparked instantly. Whatever people didn't want him sticking his nose in, he usually got into, and this case was no exception. He wanted to know why passengers weren't allowed up on the forecastle…

While Peter was busy trying to cheat his way to winning (just because James hadn't been looking at him, didn't mean he couldn't see how he was trying to pick out all the good cards from the deck) James set his hand down, and got up. He brushed himself off, and then headed off toward that staircase.

"Your turn, Prongs," Peter said from behind him, obviously not noticing that he had gotten up and was at least ten paces away from their spot by now. James gave him five seconds, and then, "Prongs? What are you doing?"

"What's it look like I'm doing, Wormtail?" James replied, raising his voice a bit so he could be heard as he was now only a few steps away from the stairwell and Peter was pretty far behind him.

"Well, it looks like you're going to go up onto the forecastle - "

"Righto."

"_What?_ James, you can't – No, James! Get back here!"

James had never been one to listen, especially when something was denied of him. So, without paying any heed to the other man, he bounded up the stairwell two steps at a time, and before Peter could protest any more, he had hopped the gate and was on the forbidden forecastle.

"_Sirius! Remus! You can't let him do this -_ "

Peter's squeaky voice could travel very far, James realized, as he passed by the base of the crow's nest, and got farther and farther away from his friends. He could just barely catch a growl of a response from Remus, but the wind was blowing more fiercely up on the forecastle than it had been on the poop deck, and the words were lost. But he could hardly care what his friends were doing about his general lawlessness again, for his curiosity had yet to be satisfied.

He could see why this part of the ship was off-limits to people other than the crew. The deck was littered was anchor chains and cables, and if you didn't watch your step, you'd trip and hurt yourself. But the chains and cables were organized enough to the point that there was a path straight to…the point of the bow.

His steps grew more hurried as he neared the very last few metres of the deck. His hands were trembling with excitement as he reached out, and held onto the crow nest's stay cord. Slowly - and with the same cat-like grace that had gotten him in and out of trouble in the past - he hoisted himself up onto the prow.

Being this high up, and at the very front of the ship, allowed James to have a view of the ocean that many never got to see. It was sprawled out all around him, and he could see for miles on end. There was nothing but ocean to see, yet it was beautiful in all its unending blue glory. He supposed it was even better when the sun set; perhaps he'd have to sneak back up here sometime during the rest of the voyage and find out.

He closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of the cool, salty breeze whip past his face and through his already messy hair. Picturing the ocean in his mind, and feeling the sensation of the wind combined with momentum from the gigantic ship behind him, it was like he was one step closer to his dream of flying…

It was at that moment James realized why the forecastle was off-limits. Never mind the potential safety hazards and dangerous machinery, the crew just wanted to keep the breath-taking view and this wonderful sensation to themselves.

"Do you think he'd notice if we pushed him off of there?"

James opened his eyes, and glanced over his shoulder. His three friends were standing just a few feet behind him, watching him curiously. Sirius and Remus seemed to be back on good terms, and they were standing beside each other. Peter was on Sirius's left side – he, however, was peering over the rail, and looking suddenly queasy about the long way down. They could've just gotten there, or they could've arrived a few minutes ago, but James could honestly care less on how they came to be there, just that they were there with him.

"So, are you lot just going to stand there or are you going to join me up here?"

Remus looked ready to protest, but Sirius quickly grabbed him by the scruff of his jacket and dragged him up toward the bow rail, and Peter followed behind. None of them spoke after that moment, understanding that this was just one of those rare moments.

It was a strange sight to behold: a first class man in his bedclothes, two third class men, and a steward, all at the bow railing and staring out at the ocean. But – as any of the four would tell you – that's simply how things were with them.

* * *

"Miss Lily, if you don't mind me saying so, it's much harder to lace your corset up if you're slumping like that."

Lily glanced over her shoulder before sighing, exasperated, and straightening up. She wasn't all the way awake yet so she had been leaning against the bedpost, trying to get in a bit more rest. Her maid had awakened her about an hour earlier than normal because this morning, she and Lucius would be having breakfast with some of the American passengers, and he had stressed the importance of her looking more elegant than usual.

She gasped mid-yawn as the maid pulled the corset tighter. She detested wearing one; she personally thought that she was thin enough without the undergarment, and that she looked very sickly if it was pulled too tight by a maid or Petunia. But, as she was constantly reminded, appearance meant everything. Lucius would rather have her looking too thin than what he thought was too fat.

Just thinking of Lucius made her cringe; he seemed to be behind all the causes of her drowsiness this morning. First, it had taken her ages to usher him out of her stateroom. She had seen the familiar look in his eyes; the one that meant he wanted something _more_ than a goodnight kiss. She had finally slammed her stateroom door shut in his face at around midnight after she had constantly reminded him that they weren't yet married and that she was very tired.

Then, he had decided to spite her by having an early morning Death Eater meeting (at fifty thirty, no less!) in the conjoined sitting room. She had been awakened by the constant 'thump' of Lucius's cane hitting the floor as he paced around the room, and by the murmurings of three or four other voices. Her insatiable curiosity had been aroused at once, and she got out of bed to listen to them with her ear pressed against the door. She didn't hear much, as the doors and walls were surprisingly thick and the meeting was only about fifteen minutes long to begin with. After that, she went back to sleep, only to be awakened an hour later by her maid.

But what had caused her to lose the most sleep wasn't Lucius's fault – well, it wasn't _all _his fault for once. When Lily had gone to bed, she had awakened many times in the night from terrible nightmares. She had many before, especially after her parents had died, yet none were as vivid as these. She supposed it was because she had actually had experienced what her nightmares were about…She didn't want to remember how it had felt to lose her grip, or how cold the wind had been wind she was thrashing far above the churning water below or –

"There!" the maid exclaimed as she tied the strings of the corset in a bow. "All done! Now let's find you something warm to wear - "

Obviously, as the maid bustled off into the wardrobe, she had mistaken Lily's shiver as a sign of being cold.

Lily swore that if she had to smile one more time, her face was going to freeze permanently like that. She had decided to try to be a bit nicer this morning, just to make her life a bit easier.

But if being nice meant smiling and laughing at every available moment, she was going to stop quite soon.

Breakfast this morning had been her first pleasant meal while she had been on board _Titanic_. She and Lucius had once again separated from Petunia and Vernon (who were making their social rounds one last time as a couple; Vernon was disembarking at Queenstown because he had some business to clear up about the property Lily and Petunia's father had owned in Ireland.) and they had gone to sit with – as promised – some prominent Americans.

Seated at their table had been a loud, boisterous woman named Margaret Brown (she insisted that they all call her Molly), John Jacob Astor, and his young wife, Madeline (the Astor family had been friends with the Malfoy family for years), another woman named Ruth Dewitt-Bukater, her daughter, Rose, and her daughter's fiancée, Caledon Hockley. Molly made their breakfast lively by telling all sorts of stories from her childhood and from her days when her husband hadn't struck it rich yet. Lily took a liking too her right away (she didn't have to fake her smiles or laughs then), although Lucius was clearly annoyed by her behaviour, as were a few others.

After breakfast, J.J. (as John Jacob Astor was often called) had excused himself, for he had promised one of his other American associates a game of bridge in the smoking room, and had left Madeline at the table so she could chat with the other women. Cal followed the suit, claiming to have scheduled a squash game (he didn't look like the squash type to Lily), and he and Rose had had a quick spat about staying at the table. Eventually, he left – looking angry and annoyed – and Rose glared menacingly at her plate without saying goodbye. Ruth and Molly took leave a few minutes later to go to the library, leaving only Madeline, Rose, Lucius, and herself left at the table.

"Ladies, it has been a pleasure, but I'm afraid that I have some business to attend to this morning," Lucius said, his tone silky, as he got up from his seat and smoothed his suit down. "I really must be going."

"We don't mind, Lucius. Besides, I don't think that you'd want to listen to us women anyway." Madeline replied, a warm smile gracing her lips.

"Too right," Lucius mumbled, although only Lily could hear him. He then turned to her, his eyes warning her not to act up like she had before. "Do you need me to escort you back to the staterooms so you'll be ready for Vernon's departure?"

"I'd actually like to stay here for a while, and chat. That is all right with you, isn't it?" Lily asked, a smile on her face and a sweet tone to her voice. She actually had no intention of staying at the table for too long, and she wasn't planning on going to see Vernon off; Petunia could go do that by herself. Lily had better plans for the day…Once she got up to courage to go find that James Potter, that is.

Lucius looked surprised at her lack of hostility for once, figuring that he had finally made a breakthrough with the necklace last night. "I suppose that's all right. I'll see you soon."

He gave one last goodbye to the other women at the table before pushing his chair in, and walking away. She watched him go, but didn't watch any more once Sirius appeared and followed after him like a lost puppy. For all she cared, he could rot for betraying her trust like that.

"Lucius is such a gentleman, Lily!" Madeline asked suddenly, drawing her attention back to the table. "How did you ever manage to snag him?"

"Oh…erm…I guess I was just lucky. He is…wonderful…" The word had quite a lot of trouble coming out of her mouth.

"When _is_ your wedding? I don't think we've gotten an invitation yet."

"Ah…It'sJuly 24th, abouttwo months after my birthday."

"Aren't you getting married in June, Rose?"

"Yes."

Rose's reply was curt. She obviously wanted to be anywhere but at this table, and Lily could only agree.

When she had first seen this American, she had been shocked by the similarities – and subtle differences - between the two of them. Both of them were redheaded; Rose had beautiful curls, while Lily's was usually a mess of waves. They both had green eyes, although Lily's was a much more unusual colour of green. They were nearly the same age (Lily was a just a few months older), and were both named after flowers. The only real big difference between them (besides different nationalities) was that Rose was taller than her.

But the most unusual similarity between them was the look Lily could see in the other's eye. It was the same look she had seen when she looked in the mirror days before, and it scared that someone so similar to her already could feel the same way she could.

Lily, sensing the uneasy silence that had fallen between them after Rose's response, decided to bring up a topic that all of them would like.

"Madeline, do tell me how your pregnancy is going. You were barely showing when you came to visit Malfoy Manor in February! Have you and J.J. decided on any names yet?"

* * *

"Can you see it yet?"

"No."

"You're not even looking any more!"

"Prongs, I have a headache the way it is. You don't need to shout any more."

"Well, if you don't like my shouting than you can go find _Sigrid_, and miss all the fun I'm having."

Remus looked up from the game of solitaire he was playing with Peter's deck.

"If your idea of fun is leaning over a rail, looking for the outline of Ireland on the horizon, then you can count me out of it."

James took his eyes off the ocean for the briefest of moments to frown at Remus. He had been even more disagreeable after he and Sirius had finally told him what they had accomplished last night (which resulting in another Remus lecture about wasting time) and what they had planned for the next few days. Remus had been particularly interested when the subject of Lily Evans had been brought up…

_"So you saved her life, and to reward you, Malfoy invited you for dinner tomorrow night?"_

_"Yes. Come to think of it, do you know why he didn't invite for dinner tonight instead, Padfoot? Wouldn't that be a bit more practical?"_

_"I can't read his mind, Prongs, but I think it might be because Friday's one of the more important occasions – you know, where everyone dresses up in their best – and he wants to embarrass you or something."_

_"Bastard. You'll lend me a suit, right?"_

_"'Course."_

_"Do you think this Evans girl is going to come and find you later on?"_

_"I don't know…What are you thinking about, Moony? Do you want me to spy on her too?"_

_"Actually, I was thinking that you could…you, know…ask her what she knows. Subtly, of course. Get her to warm up to you first, and then - "_

_"No. James is not doing that."_

_"Why not?"_

_"It's bad enough that I have to pretend that I'm a Death Eater around her too, but if James were to pretend to like her - "_

_"I like her the way it is already."_

_"…The point that I'm trying to make is that if Lily ended up looking for you, and you were to…well, _use _her for Order purposes, and she found out, she'd be crushed. I made her pretty upset all by myself last night, and I'd rather not repeat another 'propeller' incident."_

"Why do you want to see Ireland so badly right now anyway? You can always come back when we're done in America and see it if you want to," Remus asked, pulling James back to the present. He blinked owlishly at his friend before turning back to look at the ocean where a misty shadow had formed while he had been remembering.

"It…It was something me and my Dad were going to do…My Mum was Irish, and the two of them met in Ireland…We were both going to get on a steamer one day, and visit, in her memory," he explained softly, watching as the shadows began to shape into rolling hills and coasts. "…Since I don't think I'll ever visit with him gone, I figured I'd make it up to both of them by watching for it…and taking it in from here."

"Ah," Remus murmured, dropping the subject like they usually did when their parents were brought up. He glanced back down at his cards, and then, after a moment, he asked, "How long are you going to stay here?"

"Until I can clearly see the famed Irish landscape."

"I suppose that means we'll be here all day then."

* * *

Thanks for reading and please review. 


	6. Chapter Six

**Author's Notes: **Sorry for the long delay in getting this chapter up and posted. I was really busy these last few weeks with track and softball season starting. I barely had any time at all to get on the computer and my homework done! Plus, as it usually happens, I got Writer's Block mid-way through this chapter, and I didn't write it at all for about a week. Ah, well. At least it's finished. Thanks for reading and reviewing the last chapter (even though it was rather slow and boring :) and have fun with this one!

**NOTE: **From this point until I inform you otherwise, this fan fic does not run along the movie _Titanic's_ timeline. I, being the presuming, fan girl author that I am, biffed up the movie timeline by presuming that the suicide scene occurred on the 11th (the date in which Chapter Six occurs), when it actually occurred on the 12th. So, in fact, Lily's suicide scene occurred two days before Rose's occurred. I can't believe I didn't check that out before hand…Honestly…

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Harry Potter or James Cameron's _Titanic_.

**Chapter 6**

Lily walked into the sunlight that was shining onto the enclosed promenade deck. She felt as though she hadn't felt the sun in years, and the cool sea breeze was a welcome relief from the stuffiness that the dinning saloon had instilled in her.

The clock above the Grand Staircase had read ten forty-five when Lily passed it on her way to the outside decks. It had taken her a long time to convince herself that James Potter _wasn't_ going to laugh at her if she came down to talk him. Now, as she neared the steerage entrance, she just hoped that he wouldn't get angry about her invading his space, as she knew a lot of the lower class tended to do.

Her walk and stature were filled with a sense of purpose as she unlatched the gate and walked down the staircase for the second time this voyage. She ignored the steerage men gawping at her, and kept her head held high as she looked for the entrance to the inside of the steerage area.

She spotted it at once, but didn't go toward it immediately. She still had to figure out how to get to the steerage general area, and it would do her no good to wander around in an unfamiliar area for hours at a time. She was horrible with directions, and got lost quite easily. She was still amazed that she had actually remembered how to get out onto the promenade deck from the dinning saloon accurately.

She glanced around the deck, looking for a stray steward among the steerage men. They were still staring at her with looks of disbelief, and she was starting to feel uncomfortable. Before too long, however, she spotted a crisp, white shirt near the fantail staircase, and she hurried over, walking as fast as her heels would allow her to.

The steward was assisting some of the crew with what Lily supposed was preparations for the oncoming stop at Queenstown**. **She waited for a few minutes until he was done before approaching him. Lower class stewards were generally testier than first class ones, as she had learned from previous voyages.

"Excuse me, sir?"

The steward looked behind him, startled to hear such a cultured voice in this area of the ship. He was probably only a few years older than her – like almost everyone in the lower classes seemed to be – and seemed to be good disposition at the moment. He squinted at her for a moment before asking in a slightly squeaky voice, "Can I help you, miss? Are you lost?"

"I'm not lost yet, anyway," Lily replied, deciding to be honest. "I just need to know how to get to the steerage general room."

Instead of immediately jumping to her rescue – which she had been quite hoping for – the steward frowned and narrowed his watery blue eyes at her. "I know it's my duty as an employee of White Star Line to comply to your wishes, but I'm afraid I must refuse."

"What?" she asked, her confidence faltering slightly. "Why not?"

"Because whenever a first class passenger such as yourself comes down here, all you usually want to do is mock and treat the third class passengers like animals in a zoo. As it's my duty to make sure they – not _you_ – are comfortable and enjoy this voyage, and I'm afraid that allowing you to invade their area would cause them to be quite uncomfortable. I'm sorry I can't be any service to you."

He turned on his heel and began walking toward the fantail staircase, faster than Lily had imagined a pudgy man like himself could go. She hurriedly walked after him, trying to regain some of her composure.

"Wait! I didn't come down here to mock anyone! I'm looking for someone – perhaps you know of him – James Potter?"

The steward froze, and turned around to face her. He glanced at her again, as if re-evaluating her intentions, before speaking again, "What do you want with James?"

"So you do know him after all!" she exclaimed, delighted. This would make her search much easier, provided this steward would help her out.

"He's a good friend of mine, and I would like to know what you want with him. James has got enough to worry about without you mucking things up with your curiosity about the lower class."

Lily was taken aback by his cold tone, and then it occurred to her that she might've seen this steward before. Not on another steamer, but somewhere beforehand…

"Well? If you can't come up with a good reason for me to let you see James, then I'll be on my way - "

"Mr. Potter was a great help to me last night," she interrupted, annoyed with the steward's suspicion. He arched an eyebrow disbelievingly at her. "What he helped me with is none of your business, as it was a rather personal matter."

He glared at her again, and without saying a word, he began walking toward the staircase again. Lily fumed – why couldn't Bill Weasley have been out on deck instead of this great prat? But she wasn't about ready to give up on him, so she followed after him, deciding – against her better judgment – to use her trump card.

"Fine! I don't need your help!" she said, her voice rising to a shout as he hurriedly pounded up the steps to get away from her. "I'll just find another steward – one who's willing to help Lucius Malfoy's fiancée!"

That did the trick, as it always did. That was one of the good things that came from her engagement; the Malfoy named was greatly respected – although nowadays it was greatly feared more than respected – in Britain, and once people learned that she was to be married to one of the most dangerous men in all of Europe, things went her way.

Such was the case with this steward. The instant he heard that name, he turned around and ran down the stairs so fast that he nearly tripped. Panting, he looked at her, recognition replacing suspicion in his eyes now.

"Suh – So…sorry, Miss Eh-Evans…I didn't know…"

Lily was the one doing the eyebrow raising now. How could he _not _know who she was? Her face had been plastered in the newspapers months ago when the news of concrete wedding plans began to hit the rumour cycles. Of course, not many people would recognise her without her infamous scowl on her face, and her infamous fiancée at her side.

"I'd be happy to show you where James is…Or could be at the moment. Please, follow me."

As Lily began to follow the steward once again, she had no way in knowing that letting this steward learn her identity would end up being one of the biggest mistakes of her life.

* * *

The first thing that James saw when he wandered into the general room at around ten thirty was the blonde Swedish – or Norwegian; Remus still wasn't sure what nationality she was – girl (that his friend was so infatuated with). The second thing he noticed was that Sirius Black – ladies man extraordinaire – was chatting her up.

The whole thing might have been quite comical (for Sirius was pulling out all the stops for a girl who probably didn't understand half of what he was saying) if Remus hadn't seen them too, and promptly marched over to them to give the other man a piece of his mind (or fist).

The two of them got started on their second row for the day, but it wasn't quite as bad as the other one – if you didn't count the part when James got hit in the face with _someone's _shoe when he tried to come between them, that is. Sigrid had eventually intervened (after she realized they were fighting over _her_) and she pulled Remus to the other side of the general room, while James did likewise with Sirius.

"Hold that pose for a bit – It'd look great as a portrait."

Jack-the-bloody-American-Dawson had pulled out a tattered sketchpad and was grinning at him over the top of it from across the table they were sitting at. James glanced exasperatedly at him, rubbing the sore side of his face where the shoe had hit. He was quite sure that he was going to have a black eye come dinnertime.

"I think I'll call it, 'Portrait of a Beaten Brit'."

"Very funny, Dawson," James replied, glaring at him. Jack was going to have a black eye of his own if he didn't shut his mouth soon. "What're you doing over here anyway? Where's your Italian friend?"

"Fabrizio's around," Jack replied, waving a hand casually. "He'll come back some time soon…I was only over here because _your_ friend wanted to see my drawings. He's says that they're pretty good."

"They are," Sirius replied, seemingly done with his sulk for the moment, and back to his cheerful nature. He loved art, if James remembered correctly. "I know some art dealers back in London who'd be interested in your work."

Jack looked up from his sketchpad and glanced at Sirius curiously, as if realizing for the first time that he wasn't a third class passenger. He pondered this offer for a moment, and then shook his head.

"No thanks. I haven't had much luck with art dealers in the past, and I've been making money with my drawings just fine for the last few years. Thanks for the offer though."

"All right then. Just thought I'd offer," Sirius said with a shrug. He glanced at James for a moment, grinned, and turned back to Jack. "How much do you charge for a portrait? I'd rather like to buy your one of Prongs over here once it's finished. I think it'd liven the sitting room up in Grimmauld Place splendidly."

"Have your fun now, Padfoot, but just you wait until _you're_ the one getting hit with a shoe. I'm not going to even bother to get between you and Moony if you keep this up again," James replied, scowling at his friend.

"Speaking of Moony, what _has _gotten into him lately?"

"What do you mean?" James replied, raising an eyebrow curiously. He, of course, had been living with Remus for ages, and had only just begun to notice the personality changes in his friend. If Sirius noticed the changes that fast, then they might've been bigger than he had first thought.

"How can you _not_ have noticed? He's become a regular hothead!" Sirius exclaimed.

"Like you?" James questioned, failing to resist the urge to have a jab at his friend.

"Well, yes – No!" Sirius corrected hastily. "What I meant was that he's always blowing up at somebody now, and that somebody just happens to be me!"

"He only blew up at you now because you were chatting up _Sigrid_, the girl he happens to fancy. And we both know what happened that last time you chatted up a girl he had his eye on - "

"That was an _accident_! Besides, it only happened once. " Sirius interrupted, knowing the event to which he was referring to. James shot him a pointed look. "All right, all right…Maybe it happened _more _than once - "

"We found you _snogging_ his fiancée a week before their wedding!"

"That wasn't completely _my _fault…She was with Prewett's younger brother the week before." Sirius puffed, turning his attention to his nails rather than to James's face. His voice did hold something resembling remorse in it, but before his friend could remind him of his history with Remus's other girlfriends, he quickly changed the subject. "Well, that explains part of the problem…But hasn't he seemed more testy than usual to you? I'll just _say _something – like this morning – and he'll take it the wrong way!"

"Well, you _should've_ been more careful above decks, talking to Peter like you did," James began, waiting for Sirius to let out his groan of annoyance before continuing on. "I'm not saying what you did was wrong, I'm just saying that you should've been more careful. There's a difference. Besides, I'm glad you told Peter; now he won't be begging me for information on what we're doing every time we meet in the corridors."

"He _still_ hasn't grown out of that?"

"Don't think so…Anyway, I think Moony's just a bit stressed. You know with work, our move, and - " He glanced hastily at Jack, dropping his voice to a whisper as he went on. Though he seemed busy drawing the two of them, he still could pick up on more than he needed to hear. " – Order business. Dumbledore's been running him ragged; he's been up and out at all hours of the night for the past few weeks, doing all sorts of things. 'Course, he can't tell me exactly what he's been up to since it's some of those 'important' missions."

"The ones we're not supposed to know anything about?" Sirius responded, and James nodded. "How come Remus gets to go on those while we're stuck doing guard duty or paper work?"

"Probably because Dumbledore thinks he's more responsible than us," James muttered darkly, glancing over at Remus again. "Which we both know is more than true."

Sirius stayed silent for a few moments, seemingly pondering over this new bit of information about Remus, before he asked slowly, "…Does he always tell you that he goes out for Order business?"

"Eh…It depends. Usually I just take a guess at what he's been doing…Why do you ask?" Sirius shrugged carelessly, but James knew the look on his face and the tone he had used all too well. "Sirius, are you suggesting that…_Moony's _the leak?"

"It's a possibility," Sirius responded coolly, though he shifted uncomfortably under James's scrutinizing gaze. "You said he was up at night a lot, and that you don't even know what he does most of the time - "

"Come off it, you prat! Can you honestly believe that _Remus Lupin _would spy on the Order for that evil bastard Riddle?" James asked, reaching into his pocket to pull out his cigarettes. He had thought sea voyages were supposed to _relieve_ your stress, not increase it. The rest of his pack would be gone by tonight if things kept progressing the way they were now. "You're just upset because he called _you_ the spy earlier."

Sirius snorted in disbelief, but left the subject at that. He obviously remembered how James reacted the last time Prewett had stuck his big nose in James's business and called one of his friends a spy. After all, that had been the reason why Dumbledore had assigned them to this mundane mission in the first place, and decided to make them head of the Order headquarters in New York, where Death Eaters were few to none. At least they had gotten a pleasant sea trip out of the deal.

"While we're on the topic of spying, how come you're down here instead of with Malfoy and Riddle? You better not be skiving off your duties this early on or Moony will be all over you when he finds out," James said.

"No, I'm not skiving off," Sirius replied, sounding offended. "Malfoy let me follow him around for about an hour before telling me that – while it was wonderful that I finally chose the right side – he did not want to see my ugly mug more than necessary."

"Did he _really_ said that?"

"Everything except the 'ugly mug' part. I made that up, but I could _tell _he was thinking it - "

James rolled his eyes, perched his cigarette between his lips, and successfully tuned Sirius out. He chewed on the end of the cigarette for a bit, deciding that it'd be wise to light it a bit later; Jack was giving him (or something behind him) a very funny look, and in case he decided to make some smart-arse comment, James didn't want to be held responsible for any burns on himself or the American.

" – it's common knowledge that the Blacks are a very good looking family, so if he really wanted to insult me, he _should've _said I was ugly, because it would've hurt more than - "

"Didn't Malfoy fancy one of your cousins a while back?" James interrupted, eager to get Sirius away from the topic of his family's looks.

"If he's fancied one, he's fancied them all," Sirius replied with exasperation. He turned around in his seat, facing the crowd rather than the other side of the table. Jack's unrelenting funny look (he looked as though he wanted to say something, drop his jaw down in surprise, or raise an eyebrow coolly all at the same time) was probably making him feel uncomfortable. "He and Bellatrix had courted for a bit, and I _know_ Narcissa had her eye on him. They probably would've started courting if he hadn't got himself engaged to - " Sirius stopped mid-sentence, suddenly becoming interested in something going on behind James.

Before James could even inquire what had caught his attention, Sirius's jaw opened slightly and his eyes widened in shock. James stared at him for a moment, wondering if he had caught whatever facial disease Jack had at the moment, but before he could ask, Sirius whispered, "It's _Lily! _She's down here, Prongs!"

"_What?_" James hissed back, his eyes widening too. "You can't be – pardon the pun – serious! What's she doing down _here_? Are you _sure_?"

Sirius looked back at him, his eyes mirroring the surprise that James knew must have been showing on his face. Hadn't they just been hypothesizing that she might come visit only hours ago? Neither of them had expected she'd actually do it, of course – James had thought she wouldn't want to lower her social status by being seen with a third class man, and Sirius had assumed that Lucius would stop her from going to see him.

"Of course I'm sure…I – I think she's looking for you, mate," Sirius replied after a moment. "She wouldn't be looking for me because I'm - "

"_Not supposed to be here!_" James interrupted, his shock instantly replaced by panic. "Shit! Quick, Padfoot! Hide!"

"_What?_ Where?"

"Where do you think? Get under the table!"

There was a bit of scuffling and cursing from Sirius as James grabbed him by the neck of his suit, pulled him off his chair (making a lot more noise then intended), and shoved him under the table. After he had finally decided on a facial expression, Jack observed this with a raised eyebrow – as if he was suddenly wondering how mad the British people actually _were _– and quickly scooted over to another chair to avoid hitting or kicking Sirius on accident.

"Now stay there until she leaves!"

"You mean _if _she - "

"Shut up!"

James ignored the threatening glare Sirius sent him (which wasn't too threatening as it usually was for the sender was shoved under a table and in what looked like a very uncomfortable position) and quickly straightened up. He barely had time to place the empty chair back in its spot, and straighten his clothes, when he heard Lily's voice from over his shoulder.

"Mr. Potter?"

James turned around, preparing to seem like he was surprised to see her there, but found that he didn't need to act.

Lily was stunning, even more so than he had thought before. Maybe it was because she wasn't crying…or maybe that she looked like an angel compared to the rest of the surrounding passengers. Whatever it was, it took his breath away.

"…Hullo again, Miss Evans," he replied, after regaining most of his senses. He smiled, and rose to greet her.

"I was wondering…If I could have a talk with you," she continued pleasantly. She looked nervous, as though she wasn't quite used to having a whole room stare rather unflatteringly at her. "A private talk, that is."

"Er…Yes, of course. After you."

He motioned her ahead, and followed. He glanced over his shoulder at Remus with one eyebrow raised in surprise, as he walked past him with her, and left the general room, leaving a stunned group of third class passengers behind him.

* * *

James and Lily had been wandering about the Boat Deck for quite some time, and Lily's shoes were beginning to pinch her feet most painfully. The silence between the two of them was getting to be almost unbearable. They hadn't talked since they had left the steerage area, unless James's comment about how the first class area smelled nicer than the steerage area counted.

She had tried to start a conversation with him many times, but she just couldn't get the words to come out. Her goal had been to at least thank him before they went off to lunch, but how exactly does one go about thanking the man that had saved one's life?

James didn't seem too eager to start a chat either. He seemed to be enjoying the view of Ireland rather than trying to do the polite thing, and pursue a conversation with her.

If this was going to continue any longer, she might as well tell him to go back to steerage and that she'd fetch him tomorrow. She was about to open her mouth and do so, but James – seeming to read her mind – finally broke the silence.

"Lovely weather we're having, isn't it?"

"Oh…Yes. Yes, it is," Lily answered lightly. Though she was slightly disappointed about the topic – _weather _of all things – at least they were talking now.

"Usually it's a bit chillier at this time of year. I suppose it'll get cooler as we go along. Iceberg season's just about over with too, if I remember correctly."

"Have you been on a sea voyage before, Mr. Potter?" she asked, staring at him curiously out of the corner of her eye.

"Never as a passenger. I was a deck hand on a couple of tramp steamers about two years ago. Had a few crossings, and then I decided I was better off working on the main land, so I moved back to London." James explained, shoving his hands in his pockets, and moving quickly aside as a ship officer strutted past them. "I did all sorts of odd jobs when I was younger…Never found a career that suited me, even though Hogwarts was supposed to help with that."

"Is that why you're going to America?" Lily asked, and James shrugged carelessly.

"I suppose so. There's probably a better chance of me getting a job I actually like in America than back in England, though I don't think I'll get the job I _want_, unless Dumbledore puts in a good word in for me."

"It must be terribly hard to leave your home and family like that."

"It's not too hard. The only home I've really had was Hogwarts, and I've already left that for good, so there's no going back. And I don't have any blood family left either – my mum and dad are dead, and I don't know any of my other relatives. The only family I have left are my mates, and they're coming with me, so it's not like I'm leaving much behind," James clarified. "I think I'll miss the scenery the most, not London's though. I'm _glad _to be rid of that."

"London's not too bad compared to some of the places I've visited. Take Malfoy Manor, for instance. Dreadful place." Lily made a face, and a smile spread across James's lips. "The manor _looks _nice on the outside, but it's dark and dreary on the inside. I've asked Lucius a _dozen _times if we could lighten the place up, but everything's either too old or too valuable to be removed. He's awfully protective over family heirlooms."

"What's it like living with _that _anyway?"

Lily didn't even bother telling James off for the insult on Lucius like she should have done. She knew perfectly well that many of the lower classes despised her fiancée - partly because he was unpleasant towards them all the time and partly because he supported a lot of new bills pending (none had been passed so far) in Parliament that eliminated virtually all their rights – and that it would probably make her very unpopular with James if she defended him. Besides, she was still rather mad at Lucius for yesterday, and it'd be hypocritical of her to correct James when he was saying exactly what she was thinking.

"We're not living together yet. It'd look very improper, and my sister, Petunia, hates it when our family's being the one gossiped about at tea rather than someone else's. He comes to call nearly every day, though, and we spend a lot of time together…" Lily explained, twisting her engagement ring around her finger nervously, something she always did now when Lucius or the wedding was brought up with someone other than Petunia or Sirius. "It's been getting rather tiresome as of late. Running back and forth from London to the Manor, looking over the wedding details, dealing with his horrible companions…

"Of course, I think that's why Lucius booked us on _Titanic_ – to make me feel better. But I can't feel better when he's always around, spying on me, making sure I act like a prefect little lady…I'd feel perfectly fine if I could just get away from _him _for a few days!"

They had stopped by a rail between two lifeboats. James was leaning on the rail, listening to her intently, and holding on to one of the funnel stay cords as he did so. He observed her from behind his glasses for a moment, before asking quietly,

"Is that why you were hanging off the back of this ship last night?"

Finally, they had reached the topic she had wanted to talk about first thing. But once it had been brought up, she didn't know what to say. She stared out at the approaching port of Queenstown, contemplating for a moment.

"I – I…You have to understand. It wasn't just Lucius that I was so sick of…It was _everything_ about my life. I just felt so trapped with them…They were suffocating me with their rules…It was like I was standing in the middle of a room, screaming at the top of my lungs, but no one bothered to look up. They were planning and running my life without my consent…and I just _had _to get away…So I ran. I ran and ran until I there was no more ship left, and then I climbed…I suppose that's when you showed up." She looked over at him, glad to see that he was listening. "…I'd like to thank you for what you did, Mr. Potter."

"Please. Call me James. 'Mr. Potter' makes me sound important."

"All right, James**.**" Lily cracked a small grin before her face became sombre again. "I'd like to thank you for not just pulling me back, but for your…discretion. If Lucius had any clue of what I really had been doing, he would've kept a closer eye on me than before, and that would've really sent me over the edge."

"Then I'm glad I lied, if it saved us from having to do a repeat of that incident. Pardon, Lily, but I nearly broke my back trying to pull you back up," James said with a small grin.

"I'm not _that_ heavy!" Lily exclaimed with mock indignation. She smiled back at him, just so he didn't think he had offended her. "Besides, it was probably _this _- " she trust her left hand at James, " – that weighed me down so."

James took her hand in his, and openly gaped at the stone on her ring finger.

"Jesus Christ, that's _huge! _No wonder it felt like I was dragging up a ton of rocks – this must _weigh_ a ton! If I had let you go, you would've gone straight to the bottom!"

"Well it's a good thing you held on, isn't it?" Lily laughed, watching in amusement as James bent in a bit closer to get a better look at her ring.

"I've seen a lot of jewellery in my life, and this by far has to be the most extravagant ring I've ever seen…Malfoy family heirloom, perhaps?"

Before Lily could answer, there was a resounding '_whap!'_, and James let go of her hand with a yelp. Lily looked up quickly, and found Lucius standing across from them, Snape hovering behind him. He was lowering his cane, and glaring at James suspiciously.

"It _is_ a family heirloom, for your information, but I suggest you keep your grimy paws away from it…unless you want to have another encounter with the Master at Arms so soon after your last one," Lucius instructed coldly, and James glared back at him, shoving his hurt hand into his pocket. He then turned to Lily, and his tone changed immediately. "There you are, darling. I've just come to tell you that we're meeting your sister for lunch in the Café Parisian in about - " he pulled out his pocket watch, " – twenty minutes. Vernon should have disembarked by that time, and _do_ try to be on time for once. You know Tom doesn't like to be kept waiting."

"Yes, Lucius," Lily replied, a forced smile on her face.

"Good."

Lucius nodded his approval, observed the two of them closely for a moment, before walking away. Snape sneered smugly at James before tagging after Lucius. Lily glanced around the lifeboat to make sure they were far enough way before she spoke again.

"Are you all right, James?"

"I'm fine," James hissed, pulling his hand out of his pocket. There was an angry red welt running along the top, and two small trails of blood were making their way down the sides.

"Oh, I am so sorry."

"Don't be. You don't have to apologise for him." James replied, rubbing his hand experimentally.

"He shouldn't have done that…That was going too far, even for him – Don't do that!" James had been ready to wipe his bloody hand on his jacket, but Lily's exclamation stopped him. "Here – I'll help."

She opened the small purse she had been carrying and pulled out an embroidered handkerchief. She gingerly took his hand in hers again, and began to wrap the handkerchief around his hand.

"What's he got on that cane? Fangs?"

"Close. There's a snake's head perched on the grip. I believe it's a family heirloom too," Lily replied darkly, tying the handkerchief at the top of his hand. "There! Good as new!"

She glanced up at him, and smiled softly. He returned the smile, and their hands lingered together longer than necessary before Lily hesitantly pulled hers away.

"You're right; it is as good as new…although it is _much_ more fancier than before," James joked, flexing his bandaged hand experimentally. "Pity you had to ruin a perfectly good handkerchief on one of my 'grimy paws'."

"It's not a problem. I have many more where that came from," she replied, shrugging carelessly. "Petunia won't notice if one goes missing…Hopefully."

They stared at each other again, and an awkward pause settled on them. Trust Lucius to ruin the good conversation they had going. After a few minutes, James broke the silence once more.

"Well…I suppose you should start heading off to that café. Wouldn't want dear old Lucius to get upset, would we?"

"No, but I have plenty of time. I'll escort you back to the steerage area."

"I'm the gentleman here, so I think _I'll _be the one doing the escorting," James replied, playfully sticking out his elbow. Lily didn't know what made her do it, but she looped arms with him. He looked surprised at her daring, but it didn't seem to bother them one bit as they set off toward the stern, arm-in-arm.

"So would you like to meet after you get down with your fancy luncheon? I have a feeling that you wanted to talk to me about a bit more than the _weather_ - "

* * *

"Lucius, I don't think it was a very wise idea to leave Miss Lily in the company of that steerage man, and alone too for that matter," Snape suggested, trailing behind Lucius as they continued on their way along the Boat Deck.

"And why not? Unlike my fellow first class passengers, the only threat that man poses is to my valuables," Lucius replied in a bored tone. "He's _steerage_, after all, Severus. Besides, I think it's best that Lily speaks with one of the rats – it's better she learns first hand what vermin the lot of them are."

"James Potter isn't an ordinary sewer rat," Snape explained, his tone venomous. "He went to school at the same time as me, and I know what he's capable of."

"You also know what _I'm _capable of, and I needn't remind you of that." Lucius nodded cordially to a passing couple. "If I saw Potter as a threat to me or my fiancée – which I obviously don't – I would've had him arrested last night, despite Lily's little tale. No, Potter is nothing more than a common thief; he's after – if anything – my money, not anything else."

"Sir, once Potter gets an absurd idea in his thick skull, _nothing _will stop him from fulfilling it."

"Severus, Severus," Lucius clucked, sounding exasperated. "The Potter boy has _nothing_. If he _was _scheming to somehow steal Lily away from me, she'd never go along with him. I have everything she could possibly need and want; what could a poundless, gutter rat have that I don't?"

Snape didn't trust himself to answer that question. Lucius must have taken his silence as a silence of agreement rather than a silence of hesitation.

"Knew you'd come to your senses. After all, what's the worst that this _James Potter _could do?"

Once again, Snape felt it best if he didn't answer that question.

* * *

Thanks for reading and please review.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Author's Notes: **Well, this update was quick! I suppose I have to thank my parents for putting a computer in my room for the fast update, otherwise I'd probably still be working on this chapter! Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed last chapter, and I hope you enjoy this one as much as the last six!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Harry Potter or James Cameron's _Titanic_.

**Chapter 7**

_1:15 PM_

"Well, our young Romeo returns at last. How was your stay in the Land of Splendor and Glory?"

James grinned as he slid into an empty seat across from Remus. The dining hall was packed already, and he was lucky to find this seat open at all.

"Sirius went back above, then?" James asked, trying to change to the subject momentarily. He didn't want his mood – nor appetite – ruined by one of Remus's interrogation sessions.

"Yes. Said he had a lunch date with Malfoy that couldn't be avoided."

"Speaking of lunch, what are we having today?" James asked, reaching over to take a dinner roll off of Remus's plate without waiting for an answer. "Something good, perhaps?"

"I think it might be lamb," Remus replied, glancing down at the other passengers who had received their main course already. "But Lord knows if it's better than what we had last night."

"Compared to the slop I've had, last night's meal was nearly gourmet. Don't know what the two of you are complaining about," Jack commented, and James once again realized that he had the great fortune of sitting next to the American.

"Dawson, my friend, you have not _lived _until you've tasted the food at Hogwarts," James replied, clapping him on the back and successfully knocking the roll out of Jack's mouth. "_That's _gourmet dinning."

"Well, I'll just take your word for it, as I'm probably never gonna visit this Hogwarts you're always going on about," Jack said. Their conversation ended when it was cut short by a plate of steaming hot lamb as it was placed in front of Jack. He immediately dug in, ignoring everything but the food.

"So how was your visit with Miss Evans?" Remus asked again, ignoring the plate that was put in front of him as he stared at James intently. "Learn anything interesting?"

James glanced at him over the top of his glasses. Remus didn't seem to be in a bad mood anymore (he had probably had a good snog with Sigrid) and he really didn't want to put Remus back in a bad mood by constantly avoiding his questions like he had planned.

"Other than that her fiancé is a pompous arse? Oh wait, I already knew that…" James replied. He picked up his knife and fork, and began to cut into the lamb. "I didn't learn anything about You-Know-What if that's what you mean. I'm going to go meet with her again after lunch, if you must know."

Remus's fork clattered back down to the table.

"You're going to talk to her again?"

"Yes, and why shouldn't I? We didn't get much talking in before, and I'm pretty sure she wanted to do a bit more, so we're meeting out on the poop deck once she gets away from Malfoy." James explained, shoving a piece of lamb in his mouth. "Sheth's amazthing, Mawny. Ith'sth likeh - "

"Didn't McGonagall tell you never to talk with your mouth full?"

James rolled his eyes at Remus, but made sure that all his food was swallowed before he spoke again.

"She's _amazing_, Moony - "

"Amazing, Prongs? You barely even know the girl!" Remus interrupted. He took a bite off a carrot and crunched on it as he awaited his friend's answer.

"I know that. I _want _to get to know her more, even though it seems that I've already known her for…well, forever. I don't know what it is about her, but she's…She's like no woman I've ever met before," James explained, a wistful look appearing in his eyes. "There's just something about her that I can't explain…"

"Well, you better be doing some explaining about that – " Remus replied, pointing at James's bandaged hand which he seemed to have just noticed. " – because it wasn't there when you left."

"That lovely fellow Malfoy hit me with his cane. I was looking at the ring Lily had and all of a sudden…WHACK!" He hit the table to emphasize his point, and accidentally knocked Jack's glass over. "Oops…Sorry about that, mate."

"Hold on," Remus said, his brow furrowing. James stopped in the motion of picking up a cloth napkin to clean the mess he had made. "No, you can go on with that, just answer my question…When did you start calling Miss Evans, _Lily_?"

"Since she started calling me James."

"You're on a first name basis with Malfoy's fiancée?"

James knew that tone Remus was using. It was the one he used when he thought whomever the tone was being directed at was being a careless git. James did not like being thought of a careless git, especially when he was actually thinking his actions through before he did them for once.

"Don't even start, Moony. Malfoy won't _care _that I know his fiancée's name because all of bloody _England _knows her name. Besides, he's probably more worried about the fact that I almost touched his precious _family heirloom_ than whether or not Lily learned my name."

James threw the sopping wet napkin into the middle of the table, and picked up his fork again. He cut a much bigger piece of lamb, and shoved it into his mouth. He listened intently to Remus talk as he ate.

"All I'm going to tell you is that you need to be more careful around her, especially when Malfoy is around. We don't know which lower ranked – " James chewed his piece of lamb angrily at that, " – Order members have been identified by the Death Eaters. If Riddle or any of them figure out you're on the opposite side – "

"He'll kidnap me, and then torture me until I give him the answers he wants," James recited in a bored tone, his food in the corner of his mouth. "I know the risks in this game, Remus, and I'm being careful about what I say to her on that subject, just incase you think that she's on Malfoy's side - "   
"She's his fiancée; it's only natural if she'd side with him."

James shook his head in disagreement, and swallowed his chewed food. "She _hates _his guts, Moony."

"Did she say that out loud?"

"No. But you should've heard her…you could just _tell_ that she hated him by the tone of her voice; _and _she didn't bother correcting me when I insulted him either," James clarified. He picked up his glass of water and quickly took a drink. "If I accidentally say something I'm not supposed to, Lily won't go running to Malfoy. I'm sure of it."

Remus stared at him uneasily for a moment, as if he was contemplating warning him again. Finally, he sighed, and gave in.

"Fine, Prongs. You do whatever you want, and don't come running to me if you're wrong. And just…just make sure you're not getting in too far over your head."

"And when have I ever done that?" Remus shot James a pointed look. "Er…Pass the salt please, and don't answer that question."

* * *

Lily thought that she had been very pleasant indeed during lunch today. She hadn't talked back to Lucius once, and she was even cordial to Sirius and Riddle. She smiled and laughed at everything entertaining that someone said, and she didn't even complain when Lucius ordered her food again.

Of course, she wasn't doing all of this without a perfectly good reason – she had to regain favor in Lucius's eyes; otherwise he would never let her go to see James again. If she didn't want to see James so badly, she wouldn't have even considered kissing up to Lucius at all – it usually made her quite sick.

Lucius seemed to be buying her act though. He wasn't ignoring her as much as he usually did and he occasionally sent her a small smile, something he typically never did in public. It wasn't too hard to pretend she was enjoying their company – she just had to copy Petunia's countless examples of feigning enjoyment.

Lily glanced over at her sister. She had done nothing but glare at Lily and Lucius throughout the entire dinner. Her lips were pursed, a sign that she was longing to throw an angry diatribe at Lily or Lucius. She was probably upset that neither of them had accompanied her to see Vernon off at Queenstown, and she usually took those kind of petty things as personal insults.

Petunia wasn't the only one at the table who was glaring. Riddle hadn't taken his eyes off Lily the moment she had started acting pleasant. He was currently giving her a look that told her that he wasn't buying her act at all, but she didn't take any heed of it. After all, she wasn't trying to convince _Riddle_ that she had changed her attitude, and she could care less if he told Lucius that she was faking it, because by the time he did, she'd be back in steerage with James.

"Ah, do you happen to have the time Lucius?" Riddle asked suddenly. "I believe I left my pocket watch with Nott."

Lily tore her eyes away from the china she had been studying, and stared at Riddle. He stared coolly back at her as he lifted his glass, and took a drink of it.

Strange that he would ask about the time. Lily herself had just been thinking about the time and wondering if she was already late for her meeting with James. As she watched Lucius take out his pocket watch, she had to wonder if it had been simple coincidence or something else…

Knowing Riddle, it was most likely something else.

"It's almost two o'clock," Lucius replied, shoving his watch back into his pocket. Lily winced. Lunch had started being served at one, and she had promised to meet with James at a quarter to two. She was going to be terribly late if they kept talking.

Thankfully, Lucius spoke up again. "Don't we have to meet with that American soon?"

"I suppose so," Riddle sighed.

He scooted his chair back, and stood up. Lucius followed this suit, but Sirius remained seated, apparently having not noticed that the others had got up. He sniffed at a scone – he had a rather unhealthy addiction to those – experimentally, but before he could eat it, Riddle hit him in the back of the head.

"We're leaving, Sirius," he said in a tone that would usually be directed at a misbehaving child. Riddle nodded at Petunia and Lily before he walked off in the opposite direction.

Sirius glared at his retreating back, but got up anyway. He quickly stuffed the scone into his mouth, and pocketed a second one before he followed after Riddle.

"Will you be joining your sister in the writing room this afternoon?" Lucius asked, drawing Lily's attention away from Sirius.

She turned in her seat and looked him in the eye. She put on her best, simpering smile, and said, "Actually, I had plans to meet with that Potter fellow again. He had mentioned something about attending Hogwarts, and I was intrigued that someone like _him _could get into such a fine school as Hogwarts, so I accepted his offer to meet again after lunch."

"Yes…Severus mentioned something about that earlier," Lucius replied. He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment and then decided. "All right then. You may go and talk with that Potter, as long as you report back to me with your findings. I want to know how and why he got into Hogwarts because if Dumbledore's letting filth like that into a fine institution…"

He trailed off, apparently noticing Riddle and Sirius waiting impatiently across the café for him.

"I'll tell you if I learn anything," Lily lied, crossing her fingers under the table. Lucius wasn't going to get any information out of her; contrary to what he thought, she was no stool pigeon.

"Fair enough." He smiled briefly at Lily, and then nodded curtly at Petunia as he walked away.

Lily leapt out of her seat and rushed off toward the opposite exit, not even bothering to wait until Lucius had left from the other side.

* * *

"What time did you say she was supposed to be here?"

"Fifteen to."

"And what time is now?"

"Ah…Two and five minutes."

"Certainly not very punctual, is she?"

James shoved his pocket watch back in his coat jacket and glared at a rather smug looking Remus.

"She'll be here, despite whatever you may be thinking, Moony. She's probably just been delayed by that git of a fiancé of hers."

Remus shot him a look over the top of the book he was reading, and James glowered at him. He _hated _that I-Know-More-Than-You look.

But what if Remus was right, as he usually was? What if Malfoy wouldn't let her come? What if she didn't want to come in the first place? What if she was having a good laugh at him above decks with the other first class passengers?

No. She wasn't like the rest of them, James reminded himself. She was different. She'd come. She was late, that was all.

"Where's your girl Sigrid?" James asked, eager to change the subject. He had noticed the absence of the foreign girl from his friend's side immediately, but hadn't had time to ask about it. "Aren't you supposed to be teaching her _Eeenglesh_ rather than bothering me?"

"Her father doesn't seem to like me too much, so we decided to stay away from each other for the rest of the day. She's going to try and convince him that I'm not conniving little thief - "

"But you _are_ a conniving little thief, Moony! Well, at least you _used _to be - "

"Yes, yes, I know that. But her father doesn't, so you'd best keep your mouth shut," Remus replied. He wagged a threatening finger in James's direction without looking up from his book. "Anyway, didn't you say you wanted me to meet this Lily girl?"

"No. I said that you _should've been_ there, not that you _should be_ here." James sniffed. "Do me a favor, Moony, and learn the difference between past and present tense."

"I believe _I'm_ the one who got an Outstanding in Flitwick's English course, not you."

"For your information, the only reason I didn't get that O was because I didn't go around and kiss up to Flitwick every chance I got – Hey!"

Remus had thrown his book at James. James glowered and threw it back at his friend, only to have Remus whip it right back to him.

"Stop that! I've been injured more than enough today, with that shoe, Malfoy's stupid cane, and now this _bloody book _- "

Remus ducked as the book soared over his head. He glared at James and got up to go pick it up.

"Well, if you'd keep your mouth shut and minded your own business half the time, than maybe you wouldn't be so injury prone."

"I'll show _you_ injury prone - "

James leapt off his bench and tackled the sandy haired man just as he was returning to his seat. They landed in a pile on the deck, and several of the nearby passengers looked up to watch the two friends wrestle.

Remus won the small scrap in the end, partly because he had the book in hand when James had tackled him, and partly because he was just a bit stronger than James. Of course, they had just been play fighting, but that didn't stop Remus from keeping James in a headlock and making him beg for mercy.

"Let me go, Moony! I can't breathe!"

"If you can tell me that you can't breathe, than you obviously _can_," Remus responded lightly, tightening his hold on James's head as he struggled to get out. "It's no good to exhaust yourself like you're doing; you know you'll never break my hold."

"There's a first for everything!"

"Right, but it's not happening today. I'll let go if you say, 'Moony is the most brilliant person that I, Prongs, have ever met, and did not need to kiss up to any of his Hogwarts teachers' - "

"All right! Moony is the most brilliant person that I, Prongs, have ever met, and he didn't need to kiss up to any of his Hogwarts teachers," James recited, rolling his eyes. "There, can you let me go _now_?"

"You didn't let me finish! After that you have to say, 'because I, Prongs, did all the kissing for him, and I especially enjoyed it with Professor McGonagall'."

"Moony, you _sick_ and _demented _man! I am not saying _that_ – Ack!"

"And I'm not letting go until you do," Remus replied, tightening his grip so it was lax enough for James to still breathe, but tight enough so it was dreadfully uncomfortable.

Someone giggled nearby.

James looked up, surprised, and found Lily standing a few feet away. There was a funny expression on her face – as if she was trying not to laugh again – and a sparkle in her eyes that he had never seen before.

"Er…Hullo, Lily," James greeted, realising – rather sheepishly – that being on your knees and in a headlock was a very peculiar way to greet someone.

"Hello James."

Remus's head shot up the moment he heard Lily's reply, and slowly let James out of the headlock once he had seen her. He stared at her for a moment, then – looking quite embarrassed himself – got up, and helped James to his feet too.

"Erm," James said, sweeping a hand through his hair nervously. "…How long were you standing there?"

"I was coming down the stairwell the moment you tackled your friend here."

James winced internally. This was splendid. She probably thought they were barbarians now.

"Oh, well…ah…er…"

"I thought your little wrestling match was very entertaining," Lily replied, as if sensing his discomfort. She flashed him a brilliant smile and sat on a nearby bench. "I hope my tardiness wasn't the cause of it…I had to be nice to Lucius and I think that put him in a talkative mood for he and Riddle just wouldn't shut up."

James grinned and shot Remus a triumphant, I-Told-You-So look.

"It's all right; you weren't too late. Remus and I have a friend who's always late so we're used to waiting by now," James explained. Lily glanced at him and then at Remus, obviously confused. "Oh, right…Lily, this is Remus Lupin. Remus, this is Lily Evans."

"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Evans," Remus said, nodding politely at her. "James has been talking about you – OW!"

James only removed his foot from Remus's toes when Lily began to talk again.

"But didn't you call him…er…_Moony_ before?"

"Oh, that. Moony is Remus's nickname, like mine is Prongs. There's actually a rather funny story behind them too…"

* * *

So, he explained, and Lily was absolutely fascinated.

James Potter had been a thief.

An actual, pilfering, pick-pocketing little thief, and he sounded like a rather good one at that, as he bragged to her about his and Remus's (who, as it turned out, had met James when they had stolen from the same person, at the same time, and he had given them chase) illustrious adventures.

But he had been a Robin Hood type of thief, as he had continually reminded her. He had only started thieving so he could support himself after his father had died, and even when he became really good at it, he didn't take anything more than necessary.

James had claimed that he had probably been the best pickpocket in England by the time he was eleven, but Remus corrected him – as he often seemed to do – by saying that he had belonged to the best pickpocket _team_ because he would never be the best by himself. At that point, James became rather ruffled, and he and Remus began another spat (though it was verbal this time), and they finally had stopped when Lily had dissolved into a fight of giggles.

After the three of them composed themselves, James got around to explaining about the nicknames.

_"We decided to give ourselves nicknames, that way if we were ever caught, we wouldn't have to use our real names - "_

_ "If I remember correctly, that was _my _reason. _Your _reason was because you thought that nicknames were attention-grabbing - "_

_ "Am I telling the story, or are you, Moony? That's what I thought… Right, so we decided to give ourselves nicknames. Remus is Moony because he's really good at creeping around at night and the moonlight, and I'm Prongs because I can pick locks real well - "_

_ " – and because he's a general thorn in the side."_

_ "SHUT UP, MOONY!"_

Lily had also learned that another boy, Peter Pettigrew, had been christened Wormtail, because he had often helped them with directions, and could 'worm' them in and out of any place they asked for assistance with.

It was also interesting to learn that their thieving was the reason James and Remus had gotten into Hogwarts in the first place. They had been hired to steal something out of Albus Dumbledore's office when they were about thirteen, and they had almost gotten away with it, but Dumbledore had caught them when he had come back from the kitchens with hot cocoa. To Lily's amazement, Dumbledore hadn't had them arrested; instead, he offered all three of them an education at Hogwarts.

_"We had snuck in the week after summer holidays had ended, but we didn't get a holiday once we were accepted. No, we'd be third years by the time the school year came around, so we had to work and learn everything the other students had already learned. It was – if you'll excuse my French – a pain in the arse."_

By the time this story was done with, Lily felt that being nice at lunch had been worth her while. Just spending five minutes with James had been more rewarding and entertaining than any amount of time she had spent with Lucius and his goons in the past. He knew how to keep her entertained and he often included her in the discussions, even though she usually didn't know what he was talking. James also sat beside her – closer than what was probably considered proper (though it secretly pleased Lily to no end) –and looked her in the eye when he talked

It felt good to have someone finally talk to her as an equal. The only person who had ever done that before had been –

" – this stupid prat, Sirius Black - "

"What?" Lily interrupted, shocked at the sudden mention if Sirius.

"Oh, I said then we met this stupid prat, Sirius Black, at Hogwarts and became friends with him. Well, he quickly learned that we were thieves, and decided to become one himself, even though he was this little rich boy who didn't need to become a thief," James explained, seemingly not noticing the look of surprise on Lily's face. "But he was pretty good at it, so we nicknamed him Padfoot because you could never hear him when he snuck up on you."

"Sirius…Sirius _Black _was part of your group?" Lily asked, finally finding her voice.

"'Course. Where would the marauding band of friends be without him? Professor McGonagall hated our…Oh, dear." James was looking at her now, his face stricken, as if he had a spilled some dreadful secret. He glanced quickly at Remus, who was shooting him a heated glare.

Lily understood at once what their dilemma was; Sirius had been their friend once too, and then he had turned on them to become a Death Eater. They had to be uncomfortable talking about him now.

"It's all right. We don't have to talk about Sirius. I'm not too keen about him right now anyway," Lily replied, breaking the tense silence between the three of them.

It took awhile for one of them to reply and when one of them finally decided to, it was Remus, not James.

"Ah…So you've heard about Sirius's…"

"Betrayal?" Lily substituted bitterly. "I know all about his switch to become a Death Eater. Horrible prat."

James was staring at her again, as if he was expecting her to burst into tears any moment. But Lily was strong, and she certainly wasn't going to cry – _again_ – in front of James.

Suddenly – before Remus could continue – he got up from the bench, and offered her his hand.

"Do you want to go for a walk, Lily? I'm getting rather tired of sitting, and I think it'd be good for us both to have a walk about the boat deck. What say you?"

Lily noticed that Remus was once again glaring at James, but she supposed it was just because Remus had probably wanted to say something important. She knew that it would be rude to just leave Remus alone, but she had been getting tired of sitting too.

"Yes. That'd be lovely."

She reached up and took his hand. This time, she didn't let go until they were walking under the enclosed A-deck promenade.

James didn't seem to mind that at all.

* * *

"Lily…Do you know what Death Eaters are?"

Lily looked at him as though he had suddenly grown two heads.

"Of course I know what they are; Lucius is second in command, and Riddle's the leader. How could I not know?" she replied lightly, though her brow was furrowed darkly. "…Why do you ask?"

"I was just…wondering, I suppose," James said carefully, making sure he sounded inconspicuous. "…Do you…agree with what they're doing?"

"Agree?" Lily stopped, and glanced at him. "How can I agree if I don't even know what they're doing?"

"You mean…he hasn't told you about…_any_ of it?" James asked, disbelieving.

"No, and don't think I haven't asked him. But it's always the same answer…_Most wives usually keep their noses out of their husband's business_," Lily said in an uncanny impression of Malfoy. She glanced at him again, and said, "…Do _you_ know what they're doing?"

"Er…A little," James lied, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets and sullenly wishing it wasn't so rude to smoke in front of a lady. "But I'm not so sure you should be hearing it from me; if Malfoy hasn't told you, than maybe he doesn't want you to know about - "

"Lucius wouldn't notice if I learned anything new about Death Eaters; he never notices anything new about me…" She sighed. They had moved over to the gunwale, and Lily was leaning on it, staring sadly out at the ocean. "I used to worry about him when he went out for Death Eater business, you know. When I'd stay at the Manor, he'd go out in the middle of the night, and then come back in the early hours…And I was up every single time, just waiting for him to come back…Hoping that he'd see my light on and worry about me too, but he didn't notice…At all."

While James watched and listened to her, a new hate for Malfoy was forming deep inside of him. That man didn't deserve to have Lily…Didn't deserve to have her waiting up for him to return, didn't deserve to see her smile and laugh when he was around, didn't deserve to have _any_ of it…

"How'd you two get together anyway?" James asked, eager to change the subject. He was more interested in listening to Lily's history with Malfoy than telling her about Death Eaters at the moment anyway. "Pardon, but considering Malfoy's family, you would've been the last person I would've suspected to be his future wife."

"It rather surprised me too. I mean, I wasn't from any of the old, rich English families, and they usually like to inter-marry…You know, to keep the money supplies large and the blood going," Lily explained, rolling her eyes. She didn't seem to remotely be interested in Death Eaters anymore either. "We Evanses are what the Americans now call _new money_, but it's not too new as it was earned by my grandfather years and years ago…Anyway, we weren't old, but we were certainly rich, and very well respected - "

"- something the Malfoy family lost a long time ago," James interrupted with a grin. For the second time today, he noticed that Lily grinned too, rather than correcting him

"Yes, I suppose that was one of the factors in why he decided it'd be all right to court me. That, and I was in the same social circle, my family name had connections to people his didn't, my family's finances were steady - "

"Not to mention that you're exciting, interesting, and beautiful."

"That too, I suppose," Lily mumbled, and James was delighted to see a faint blush appearing on her cheeks. "…Well, I met him at a party, and we began seeing each other after that. My parents didn't like him too much, but I didn't listen, because courting _the_ Lucius Malfoy was quite a big deal for being just fifteen year old – no, excuse me. I was fifteen and a half when we started courting, because that occurred just about two months after I had been expelled from my finishing school - "

"You were _expelled from finishing school_?" James asked, eyes wide. "How'd you manage _that_?"

Lily grinned wickedly at him.

"Oh, I was _horrible_…I hated it there; I had hoped my parents would send me to Hogwarts seeing as though Dumbledore started to allow girls to enroll too, but I was sent over to Beauxbatons, in France," Lily explained, her eyes alight with the sparkle from before. "Once I got there, I decided I wanted out, so I acted as horribly and unladylike as I could – I walked through mud puddles, talked back to the instructors, slurped my tea, went fishing in the goldfish pond they had in the gardens…I didn't pay any attention at all to any of the classes, other than the dancing and ballet classes, because I didn't think it was necessary to spend an hour everyday learning how to place a napkin correctly on my lap or learning which kind of china was best served at a certain event.

"And that was just my first year, too. They put up with me for about four more years – obviously thinking they could tame me – and I just got worse. When we went riding, I didn't ride side-saddle and I galloped, instead of trotted…Got all muddy and wet, but it was extraordinarily fun…One week, I wore trousers that I had paid the stable boy for, and you'd have thought I'd just murdered the king with the way they were treating me," Lily continued, laughing. "But I think what finally did it was when the headmaster caught me down at one of the nearby pubs, drinking and smoking and singing with the local fellows…Oooh, the look on his face; it was so funny…"

Lily made a face, attempting to mimic her old headmaster, but she overcome by laughter and couldn't hold it for too long. James joined in with her laughter, and the surrounding passengers glared at them rudely. Both of them were quite unable to say anything intelligent for a few moments afterwards, for they would start laughing again if they looked at one another.

"I take it that your lovely fiancé has no idea about any of this?" James asked, finally managing to compose himself enough so that only a few chuckles escaped.

"Lucius would die of mortification if he knew - when he first asked why I wasn't in finishing school, my father lied and said that I had been so advanced at my skills, they had let me go early," Lily replied, still trying to repress her giggles. "I can just imagine the look on his face if I told him that I nearly spit in my Headmaster's tea…"

"Why didn't you?"

"Because I don't know how to _really_ spit!"

"See, if you had gone to Hogwarts this wouldn't be a problem…They had grand spitting classes over there. I got an Outstanding."

Lily eyed him critically, as is she was trying to tell whether he was telling the truth or not.

"Well if you're so wonderful at it, you'd be an excellent teacher. You should show me how."

"All right then," James said instantly, although he had heard Lily's joking tone. "Watch me closely."

"_What?_" Lily asked, her playful demeanor suddenly becoming panicky. "You can't be serious, James – not here – _no_ – I _couldn't_ possibly - "

"Is the bane of Beauxbatons losing her nerve?" James goaded, raising his eyebrow in challenge. This instantly got the response from Lily that he was looking for. Her brow furrowed angrily, and her mouth thinned in determination.

"The bane of Beauxbatons does _not _lose her nerve. I'll do it," she replied in a steely tone. She waved her hand impatiently. "Well? Aren't you going to show me?"

James hawked and spat out at the water.

"_That's disgusting!_" Lily shrieked, and James grinned at the sight of the shocked look she was wearing.

"Your turn."

Lily quickly looked over her shoulder, and then spat. James was nearly as revolted with her as she had been with him.

"That was pathetic! You don't act all _dainty_ when you spit, honestly...." James sighed, shaking his head. "Here, like this…You got to get some snot into it…so inhale real deep with your nose, you got that? Then, you have to hawk all that up…arch your neck, and - " He spat again. "You got all that?"

Lily nodded, and went through the steps James had shown her. She spat again, and James was pleased to see it looked better than before.

"That was much better. Did you see how far it went? But this time, try to get a bit more snot - "

Lily laughed, and turned to face him, her face alight with happiness. She opened her mouth to say something, and then suddenly snapped it shut. Her face had gone pale, and she was staring at something over James's shoulder. A sinking feeling in his stomach, James turned.

Standing behind them were three women. James only recognised one – Sirius's mother, Lacerta Black – but Lily seemed to know all three of them. She glanced at James uneasily, and stepped away from him, toward the blonde, pursed lipped woman.

"Er…Petunia, may I introduce Mr. James Potter," Lily said at last, gesturing at him. James glanced at Lily, to Petunia, and then back at Lily. _That _unpleasant woman was Lily's _sister_?

"Charmed," Petunia sniffed, observing James coolly. The disgust in her tone was evident, and he was quiet sure that she had heard his comment about snot.

As Lily explained about how he had saved her life, James couldn't help but notice that Petunia would not take her eyes off him. She was giving him the kind of stare that one did not usually see when among friends. She was looking at him like he was some kind of an insect…a dangerous insect that needed to be squashed quickly.

* * *

"Well, she could at least have _tried_ to be polite," Lily huffed, throwing herself down on a nearby deck chair. She glared at her sister's retreating back, and then turned her attention back to James, who looked a little shaken. "My sister probably thinks you're absolutely barbaric now, James."

"Tell me who doesn't," James grumbled, sitting down on a chair next to her. His mood had become very sullen after Petunia's little surprise visit. "Lucky that wasn't Malfoy and Riddle who came upon us…That'd certainly give them a reason to keep doing what they're doing…"

"That reminds me…You never did tell me about Death Eaters," Lily said, turning to look at him curiously.

He shrugged. "Forgot, with all this talk about Malfoy, finishing school, and spitting…Do you want me to tell you now?"

Lily nodded, and James leaned forward, closing the gap between them. His hazel eyes were clear from behind his glasses, and she slowly felt her anger at Petunia ebbing away as she looked into his eyes.

"All right. This might be a little confusing, because I'm not sure I know everything about them. Remus knows more, but he'd have kittens if he knew I was going to tell you about this." James took a deep, steadying breath, and continued. "Do you remember when all that women's suffrage stuff started about two years back or so? Well, that's about when this whole mess started too…Tom Riddle noticed the trend of suffragettes and worker's unions, and he decided that it all needed to be stopped and eliminated before it went too far…You see, he's got a very medieval attitude toward things, thinks it's best things go back to how they were – Lords and servants, serfs and peasants…Basically, the rich – his group of the rich, anyway – having all the power again and the poor having none at all."

"But – But that's insane! Why is he doing something as thick as _that_?"

"As much as I hate Riddle, he is not stupid. He's actually rather brilliant," James corrected lightly. "He realised that if us lower classes kept getting more rights, more privileges, and more opportunities, then he and all the rest of those tycoons would lose their power over us…and once that would happen, their money would slowly trickle away, their positions wouldn't mean anything because everyone would be at that level, and they'd just lose…_everything_ that mattered to them.

"So to stop their fears from becoming reality, they're out and about, preaching their values to other society members, trying to get them to see their point of view, and unluckily, they've gained a lot more members lately…Trying to get bills passed in Parliament, vetoing the ones they think give us too much leeway, trying to get our right to vote taken away…"

"…a-and killing those who stand up to them?" Lily added in a whisper, her voice shaky.

"Yes. Killing those who disagree…" James heaved another great sigh, and glanced out at the ocean. "You see Lily, it all comes down to a matter of human pride…Riddle can't stand the thought of someone from a lower class becoming and being better than him one day and neither can your fiancé, and when someone's pride – especially a male's – is endanger of being trampled, they'll do anything to prevent it from happening."

Lily stared at him for a while, absorbing all that was James Potter. The sun was low in the sky, and its rays were silhouetting him in a golden light. He looked so uncharacteristically serious, but handsomely so.

"Good thing we have someone as liberal as Albus Dumbledore trying to put a stop to them," James continued. He turned back to her, his eyes warm, and a small smile on his lips. "Otherwise, they probably would've had us all in chains and made us their slaves by now."

"And here I was thinking that Riddle just wanted to take over Britain," Lily said, feeling slightly foolish for her earlier thoughts.

James's smile faded.

"To do all that, he's going to have to."

Somewhere in the distance, Lily heard the bugle announcing dinner.

* * *

Thanks for reading and please review.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Author's Notes: **Wow. I am _really _sorry about the delay in getting this chapter out. This was one of those chapters where I had about four pages done within the first week and then decided that it wasn't going in the direction that I wanted it to, so I had to revise, revise, revise! Plus, I got stuck on quite a few scenes, and was out of town a lot. I apologise for the wait.

While I was working on Chapter Eight (when I was stuck, anyway) I found time to revise chapters one through seven. They all are up now, and there wasn't too many drastic changes. Mostly, I fleshed out dialogue more and added a bit more to some scenes. I also added times to the beginning of each chapter, mostly for my own reference than anything else. I also published a one shot entitled, Because of a Visit. If you're interested, please check it out. I haven't got much feedback on it.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Harry Potter or James Cameron's _Titanic_.

**Chapter 8**

_April 12th, 1912_

_10:30 AM_

_R.M.S. Titanic_

Sirius _hated_ sending wireless messages.

In his opinion, it was all just one great, moneymaking scam. The wireless operators would grossly overcharge you for sending a ten-word message, and then, if you wrote more than ten words, you'd be penalized and get charged extra for each additional word.

Sirius never failed at getting charged extra when he wrote wireless messages. He had never been good at sending messages for he usually left out important bits or wrote more than necessary, so, naturally, Dumbledore decided that he would be the one in charge of keeping the Order updated _and _paying for the messages.

He chewed his bottom lip thoughtfully, and tried to ignore the glaring wireless operator as he stared at the blank form. There was no way he was going to get everything that needed to be in the message in ten words.

Sighing resolutely, he picked up a nearby fountain pen and began writing:

_A.D. –_

_ Going well. Cousin in France, looking after L.M. instead. J.P. befriended L.E. Getting along, being careful. Next on 15th._

_- S.B._

Sirius read over it quickly and decided that it better be good enough for Dumbledore. If Dumbledore wanted an essay of their adventures thus far, then Remus could write the message _and _pay for it next time. Better yet, they could just wait until they docked at New York, and then send a letter, but of course Dumbledore _had _to be difficult about correspondence…

He looked over the message on last time, and handed it to the snappish operator who had not stopped glaring at him throughout the entire time he had been writing. The operator took five minutes to look the thing over, probably just because he thought Sirius was an idiot and incapable of filling out a simple wireless form.

"Everything seems to be in order," the operator said at last. "Your total comes to about six dollars and twenty-seven cents…You _do _have American currency, correct?"

Sirius rolled his eyes and pulled out a crisp, ten-dollar bill from his pocket. He slapped it down on the wireless desk, and asked, "You _do_ have change for a ten, correct?"

The operator glared at him again and ruffled through one of the desk drawers for some change. He shoved the change into Sirius's awaiting palm, and turned away to send the message.

Sirius pocketed the change, and made a face at the operator's back before walking out of the wireless room and aft, toward the Grand Staircase. Once he had gotten there, however, he decided to probably wouldn't be in his best interest to use such an open walkway to get down to the lower decks. He had beaten Riddle at a high-stakes poker game (because he wasn't about to lose fifty pounds just to stay on Riddle's good side) last night and to say that he hadn't taken it well was an understatement.

So it was perfectly within reason that Sirius took the lifts instead of the stairs this morning, though it was high unlikely that Riddle was carrying a chair around with him just so he could have another go at him. Then again…you never _did _know with Riddle.

Luckily, Sirius didn't run into Riddle when he got on the lift and he was nowhere in sight when he got off at D-deck. Still, he wouldn't safe until he got back to his stateroom, for Riddle's own stateroom was in the same area of D-deck as well, and he could pop out at any moment.

Thankfully, his stateroom wasn't too far away from the lobby and his short walk to his door was completely devoid of chair-throwing maniacs. There was no one else in the corridor either and – with a quick look at his pocket watch – Sirius presumed that they were finishing up breakfast.

Sirius began rummaging in his suit pocket for his key. Hopefully, Regulus wouldn't be in, and he'd be able have a quick nap –

Out of the corner of his eye, Sirius noticed movement further down the hall. He glanced quickly at the upcoming figure, ready to leap in the shadows if it was Riddle, and found that there was no need to worry.

It was a just a steward. He was wearing a white shirt and blended very well with the surrounding white walls, which explained why Sirius had missed him earlier.

Shaking his head at his own paranoia, he began to search for his key again. But then, he realized something important: First class stewards didn't wear _white_ uniforms.

Sirius's head whipped up again and he barely caught sight of the steward as he turned onto the corridor crossroads and disappeared around the corner. But he already knew who the steward was.

The only thing he _didn't_ know was what third class steward Peter Pettigrew doing in first class this morning.

* * *

"And where is the _charming_ Miss Evans this morning?"

Lucius looked over his hand of cards and across the table at Tom. The older man was watching him calculatingly, his own hand clutched close to him.

"She's off spending the day with her sister…Said something about _sisterly bonding_ or whatnot." Lucius explained, leaning back in his chair. "Damn good idea, if I say so myself. That _harpy_ has been complaining non-stop ever since she set foot on this ship."

Riddle raised an eyebrow, amused. "Are you positive that's what she's doing?"

"Of course. Lily knows better than to _lie_ to _me_." He replied, picking out his best cards and laying them face down on the table. After last night's fiasco with Sirius Black, it would be best not to try Tom's temper by winning a hand of poker. "She may not be the most obedient girl in the country, but she knows when not to cross me."

"I _do_ wish you would've chosen a better fiancée, Lucius," Tom sighed, reaching for the deck of cards in the middle of their table. "Lily Evans…Honestly, I could think of a _hundred_ girls who would be better suited for you than _her_."

"Like who, pray tell?"

"That last Black girl…What was her name? Narcissi?"

"_Narcissa_," Lucius corrected lightly.

"Ah, yes. Her. She would've been a fine match for you – beautiful, charming, from an old and respected family…" Tom listed, looking over his hand again. "The Blacks have been on our side since the beginning…But the Evanses are a completely different story."

"They're on our side now, aren't they?"

"Once you and Evans are married, they will be. Just because you had her parents taken care of, doesn't mean she and the remaining relatives are on our side…Evans completely _worships_ that fool up at Hogwarts. Haven't you heard her blab about him enough?" Riddle said, a scowl forming on his face. "Have you even _told_ her about our organization yet?"

Lucius waved his hand dismissively, purposely showing a few of his cards while he did so.

"Lily doesn't need to know yet; she can go on and keep praising Dumbledore if she wants to. It gives the Malfoy family a better look in the public eye if one of us thinks he's doing right." Lucius explained. "But I do think once we're married, I'll tell her everything…I quite sure she's heard rumours floating about as she's been acting rather strange lately, but I'd like to clarify it after the wedding, that way she can't go running off or to the police unless she'd want to cause a great scandal…"

"If Evans's past behaviour is proof of anything, then she won't care about a scandal…Caused a fine one all by herself a few years ago with all that Beauxbatons rubbish…I suppose Evans still thinks you don't know about that?" Tom asked, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"She hasn't admitted it to me nor has she brought of the subject of it," Lucius admitted. "I do think that Dursley woman forbade her to ever mention it again."

"I can't believe Joseph Evans put up with that…If she had been _my_ daughter, she would've been out on the streets faster than you could say Salazar Slytherin." Tom stated, reaching for his glass of water. "That's another thing I like about the Blacks…_They_ know how to raise _respectful _children, except for the occasional mishap like that Andromeda and Sirius…Luckily, the latter has seen the light…"

Lucius nodded in agreement, and glanced at his hand again. Hopefully Tom had a better hand than a two-pair, otherwise he might be on the receiving end of the infamous Riddle temper for once.

"I wish you would've listened to me when I told you to go for Narcissa instead of Evans…_She's_ clearly not Malfoy material at all. To be honest, I thought you were _joking_ when you told me you had proposed to her." Tom continued, setting his hand face down on the table. He pulled out a cigar from his breast pocket and lit it up. "You two are polar opposites… She has no redeeming qualities about her. Her family is new and chock full of Dumbledore supporters…She is disrespectful, free-minded, uncontrollable, clumsy…She disagrees with everything you say and speaks when her input is clearly unwanted - " Tom took a drag on his cigar. " – she didn't even complete finishing school, and as a result, her manners are nearly non-existent, she doesn't know proper protocol and makes a fool of herself at every moment possible…Why, the only reason I even consider her a _lady _is her good looks and astonishing figure."

Lucius took the criticism of his choice in a fiancée in good measure. This wasn't the first time Tom had gone off at him for choosing Lily, and he certainly wasn't going to stop now that the wedding was nearing. Still, he was getting rather tired of it and he decided to defend his position this time.

"I believe I made a perfectly good choice with Lily."

Riddle raised an eyebrow sceptically. "Lucius, old friend, if you're only marrying Evans for her parents' inheritance, I say you're wasting your time…They have _nothing_ on your family's wealth."

"Oh, really?" Lucius challenged, a smirk forming on his face. "Then it'll surprise you to know that because of her parents' _fateful _deaths, Lily now stands to inherit around eight and a half million pounds in the Evans account in the bank; nearly three hundred valuable property locations in various spots of England and the States; several priceless art pieces and quite a lot of precious stones and jewellery." Lucius paused to savour the shocked look on Tom's face. "If she were to inherit all of that, I would become one of the richest and powerful men on the planet."

"What do you mean 'if'? Isn't she guaranteed a portion of it in her parents' will?"  
"No," Lucius replied, his smirk changing into a scowl. "Those fools decided that the inheritance would go to the first daughter who had a son. Apparently, her actions at Beauxbatons did not go unnoticed by her parents. They clearly thought that Lily couldn't be responsible enough to get even half of the inheritance…Maybe it would've changed if I had let them live a bit longer, but they were being such meddlesome fools and they had to be disposed of…"

"Pity," Tom replied, taking another drag on his cigarette. "But what if Petunia Dursley becomes pregnant and has a son before Lily does? It'll make your marriage all for nothing."

"I wouldn't say nothing…You said yourself that Lily is amazingly good looking, and I care for her, I suppose…But if she keeps acting up like this, I think I'll have to _make_ her become a Malfoy lady." Lucius said, a smug look on his face. "And Petunia Dursley is not a problem. I've already hired the necessary personnel and they're in place. If Mrs. Dursley announces she's with child, she'll have a most _unfortunate_ fall down the stairs soon after."

"I see," Tom murmured, an approving gleam in his eyes. "And what will happen to Evans after she has a son, you have the inheritance, and she is no longer any use to you?"

Lucius leaned forward in his seat and whispered the answer in Tom's ear. After a moment, he leaned back into his seat with a satisfied grin on his face, and Tom smirked back.

"Well, it seems as though I've greatly misjudged your future wife, Lucius. Lily is a _wonderful_ match for you."

If Lucius didn't know any better, he would've sworn that Tom looked positively snake-like throughout the rest of their card game.

* * *

"There you are. I was just beginning to think that you weren't coming." Remus stated, as Sirius slid into a seat next to him. As usual, the other man had been late; they had planned to meet at noon and it was now a quarter after twelve.

"Sorry. I got…_distracted_…" Sirius replied, glancing around the general room.

It wasn't as crowded as it normally was as many of the other passengers had gone above decks to enjoy the chilly, but pleasant weather. Sigrid and her family had gone, but Remus hadn't come with because of his meeting with Sirius and because he didn't fancy cold weather at all.

"Is Lily here today?"

"Yes. She came down this morning and had breakfast with James." Remus said, pointing in the direction of where he had last seen Lily and James.

They were across the room, in the secluded corner that housed a small piano for the third class's enjoyment. James was leaning against the piano and Lily was sitting on the piano bench. He was gesturing at the keys, probably trying to persuade her to play a piece or two.

"They can't see me from over there, can they?"

Remus shrugged. "I'm pretty sure they can't, and if they can, you'll just have to hide under the table again until they go away."

"_Wonderful_," Sirius breathed, rolling his eyes. He leaned back in his chair, looking sulky. "…I sent that wireless to Dumbledore this morning…Wasted six dollars on it, so he'd better be happy with what he gets."

"What'd you tell him?"

"The kind of stuff he wants to hear…Everything's going well, we haven't killed each other yet, we're getting work done, there's been a change of plans regarding Bellatrix…"

"I don't think he's going to like that last bit."

"He doesn't exactly like a _lot_ of things we do, so his reaction will be nothing new," Sirius reminded, looking irritated. "He'll probably say that we should've got off at Cherbourg with Bellatrix instead of going after Malfoy."

"I think Dumbledore will understand once he learns the circumstances. We didn't have a lot of options and we made a good decision." Remus said and the other man nodded in agreement. "Did you say anything else?"

"Er…That the next message would be on Monday and a sentence about those two - " Sirius motioned across the room. " - Dunno if he'll be able to figure out who I meant though. I only put Lily's initials, just in case the leak got a hold of it."

Sirius's eyes flicked over to Remus when he mentioned the Order leak, and Remus had wonder if he had just imagined the suspicion in the other's eyes. Deciding it'd be better not to mention it, he changed the subject.

"Did you tell Dumbledore that Peter was on board as steward? I know he's been trying to contact Peter for a very long time. Wants to talk to him, make sure he's all right or something."

"No, slipped my mind…I'll tell him in the next wireless." Sirius replied, frowning. "But funny you should mention Peter…"

"Why's that?"

"I saw him up in first class again this morning."

"Isn't he a third class steward?" Remus asked. He frowned too, mostly due to the tone Sirius was using than the revelation that Peter was in first class.

"Yeah, he is. Remember I told you yesterday I found him in one of the corridors?" Sirius asked, and Remus nodded. "Well, now that I think about it…Both yesterday and today, I _think_ Peter was walking away from the area of Riddle's stateroom - " Remus glanced warningly at Sirius, knowing where this was going. " – but when I followed him around for about an hour, he didn't do anything suspicious - "

"You _spied _on Peter?"

"Not spied, more like…followed around inconspicuously…"

"Let me get this straight…Instead of eavesdropping on Malfoy and Riddle, you wasting an hour spying on a loyal Order member?"

"Didn't you listen to me? I just told you that he was in first class _and _in the same area as Riddle's stateroom - "

"He was probably doing his _job_. You know, that thing you don't have?" Remus snapped, annoyed. Sirius shot him an offended look, but he could care less. "It was probably just a coincidence that you saw him when he was returning from Riddle's cabin area."

"Moony…something's telling me that seeing Peter this morning wasn't just a coincidence - "

"Padfoot, please just stop and _think _about who we're talking about…It's Peter Pettigrew, for God's sake. He's a good man and friend, but he's…he's not _spy_ material. Even the Order doesn't like to use him on missions as he's screwed up more than anyone else…He's forgetful, careless, doesn't like to take the initiative…" Remus explained, looking Sirius in the eye. " He can't be the leak…He's _afraid_ of half the Death Eaters and he's not of their social class…Why would Riddle pick him – of _all_ the people to chose from – to spy on the Order?"

Sirius thought about it for a moment and then shrugged his shoulders. His frown, though still in place, was smaller than before.

"All right, I'll admit that _spying _on Peter and thinking that he was the leak was a bit much…" he responded. "But still…I can't shake this feeling."

"Well, if you see him again, ask him what he's doing and you'll get your answer."

"I'll do that then."

The two of them sat in an uncomfortable silence afterwards. Sirius was glaring across the room, undoubtedly stewing over Remus's lack of reaction regarding his news about Peter, while Remus, on the other hand, was glaring at Sirius.

The thought of Peter's appearance in first class being more than a coincidence _had_ crossed his mind at first, but then it was overshadowed by the realisation that Sirius was probably being paranoid again.

Remus hadn't been surprised when James had told him that Sirius had off-handily suggested that he was the leak in their conversation yesterday; he, after all, had done the same thing hours earlier, so it was only natural that Sirius would return the favour.

But he had been surprised by how much that suggestion had hurt him. Yes, he had been doing some questionable things and been more agitated lately, but that shouldn't have given Sirius any reason not to trust him like he had always done.

Remus might snap at his friends and give them a hard time occasionally, but he would _never_ betray them like that – they mattered too much to him. James, Sirius, and Peter had been his first friends and over the years, they had become like the family he had never had. He wouldn't forsake or sell them out for anything in the world…

So why couldn't Sirius Black realise that?

The tinkling sound of piano music suddenly filled the room and drew Remus out of his thoughts. People all over the room – including Sirius and himself – looked up from what they were doing and stared in surprise across the room.

A grin split across Remus's face at the sight he saw; James had moved and was now sitting beside Lily on the bench. His hands were flying over the keys, playing a complex classical piece expertly, and Lily looked astonished, as though she had never seen anyone quite like James before. He had always had a natural talent for the piano.

"How long has she been down here?" Sirius asked suddenly, diverting Remus's attention away from James.

"Who? Lily?" Remus replied, glancing at his friend. "Few hours, I think…I haven't been paying too much attention to them."

"They've been spending a lot of time together…haven't they?"

"Yes…Strange, isn't it? They really only met yesterday, yet they act as though they've known each other for years," Remus replied softly. "At least, that's what James told me yesterday, and he had this…_look_ in his eyes when he was talking about her…"

"That doesn't sound too much like our Prongs."

"No, it doesn't…" Remus murmured, his brow furrowing. "I've _never _seen him like this before."

Sirius nodded slowly as the piano piece ended and the general room broke out into light, scattered applause. Once the applause died down, Lily began quietly talking to James, her face alight with excitement. James looked rather embarrassed by her attentions, though he was grinning just a bit as he ran a hand through his hair.

As if spurred by the sight of their two, beaming faces, Sirius spoke up.

"Are you as worried about him as I am?"

Remus looked sharply at Sirius, surprised that the other man had just voiced what he had been thinking.

"Worried about what? About him and Lily?"

"Yeah. I'm worried that…that he's going to get hurt going after her. He can't have Lily, but he's falling for her all the same…He _knows_ better, but…from the way it sounds, I think he cares more about her than he does about the consequences…"

"…You're worried that we're going to lose him," Remus concluded softly, and Sirius nodded, his face grim.

"That too."

Remus glanced across the general room again and – as if to confirm their fear – James had disappeared.

* * *

"And what do we have down this hallway?" James asked as he closed the door to the squash court behind him. He pointed a second door, further down the way, and along the opposite wall. He began walking toward it. "Do you know what it is?"

Lily shook her head, and followed after him.

They had left the steerage general room nearly two hours ago, and had spent most of the time exploring _Titanic_. They hadn't eaten lunch, but had stolen a quick snack of scones from an unattended steward cart while they had been walking around the B-deck promenade.

Except for an occasional trip into the first class areas (like now, for instance), they had mostly stayed deep inside the titan, to avoid coming in contact with anyone who might cause them problems. Lily had lied to both her fiancé and sister about her whereabouts today, and she knew it would curtains for her and James's…friendship?…if they were caught together before tonight's dinner.

"…I think I might know what this is," Lily stated, as they neared the second door. James looked over his shoulder at her, his eyes playful.

"What is it then?"

"Quite possibly, the swimming bath."

"The…_swimming bath_?" James repeated, looking rather stunned. "You mean they actually _have_ one on _Titanic_?"

"Yes…Now that I think about it, I _do_ remember Lucius mentioning something about it while we were boarding at Southampton." Lily explained. They stopped in front of the door, and she glanced into the small, circular window in the door. "I also remember Vernon – my sister's husband – going on and on about how his company had helped with _Titanic's_ swimming bath…I suppose it's going to cost us a few shillings to - "

"Nah," James replied, opening the door and taking a quick peek inside. Her turned back to her and grinned. "It's empty..."

"James, I'm quite sure that we have to pay the use the bath - "

"Well, I don't know about you, but I certainly didn't bring my bathing suit with me, so unless you want to go swimming in your corsets, I don't think we're going to be using the bath itself much." James said, his eyes gleaming mischievously. "'Sides, no one will ever know…C'mon, Lily…Just a quick look, and we'll be on our way."

Lily sighed. "Fine…Just a quick look."

He was already pulling the door open as she spoke, and grabbed her hand to pull her in too. Once they were both inside, he let go of the door and it shut with a loud BANG that echoed throughout the bath chamber.

The swimming bath looked much better than some Lily had seen on land. The bath itself was surprisingly large and the water looked crystal clear. The floor surrounding the bath was made out of gleaming, white marble, matching the white panelled walls perfectly. A few deck chairs lined the walls on each side, and some large potted plants were in the corners. Two, well-sized chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and their light reflected off the water and glimmered on the ceiling, giving the whole room a magical sort of feel.

James let out a low whistle.

"Maybe I _would've_ paid to use this…Blimey."

Lily nodded in agreement. As much as she loathed to admit it, Vernon's company had done a brilliant job with the bath.

Quite suddenly, James disappeared from her side and was at the bath side. He knelt down, rolled up the sleeve on his overcoat, and stuck his arm in the water. After a moment or two, he pulled it out again and glanced at her, that trouble-making grin on his face again.

"Water's not too bad," he stated simply, before making himself a comfortable spot on the marble. He reached for his right boot and began unlacing it.

Lily perked an eyebrow as she walked over to him, almost getting hit with his boot as he threw it over his shoulder. She sat down beside him, and asked rather dryly, "Whatever happened to talking a quick look and leaving?"

James glanced guiltily at her as he pulled off his last boot.

"Sorry, luv. Changed my mind." he replied, starting on removing his socks. "Water's too nice to pass up…and I doubt White Star Line's going to have me arrested for not paying to soak my feet for a bit."

"All right then," she said, shrugging. She reached for her shoe and unbuckled it, throwing it into James's pile of shoes and socks. Her second shoe was off and in her hand, when she finally noticed that James was staring at her. "What? If you think you can break the rules and have fun without letting me join in, then you've got another thing coming James Potter."

He stared at her incredulously for a few moments, before he threw back his head and laughed. Lily grinned impishly back at him in return, and then turned her attention back to her stockings.

Soon, their pile of shoes and stockings had moved to one of the deck chairs, while they had stayed by the side of the bath. James had rolled his trouser legs up to his knees, and Lily had done the same with her dress – though it had been a bit more difficult – so they could dangle their legs in the water.

After they had accomplished this, they sat in silence for quite a while. She supposed James wasn't striking up conversation because he probably wasn't used to sitting beside a girl whose legs and underskirts were exposed for everyone to see, but she didn't mind the lull in conversation. They'd be talking all day, after all, and she was content just to look at him, for James was veryhandsome, in his own, scruffy way.

He had an aristocratic nose and high cheekbones that any male member of the first class would be jealous of, and his eyes were just the right shade of hazel – the shade that always sparkled when he laughed and twinkled when he was in a mischievous mood.

His personality wasn't too shabby either. His adventurous nature – though over-whelming sometimes – was wonderful, and she liked the way he listened to and respected her. He knew when to be serious, when to be playful, and when just to throw it all to the wind.

It was hard to believe that she hadn't even known him for two days. It _felt _like she had already known him, as if he was very dear friend who had went away and come back. Her feelings about him were strange and she'd never experienced anything like it before. She hadn't expected any of this when she'd caught him staring at two days, down in steerage…

Speaking of staring, James seemed to have noticed that she was doing just that, and Lily quickly diverted her attention to the water below.

"You know…you're _definitely_ not what I expected in a first class girl, Lily," James stated suddenly, breaking the silence that had descended upon them. "I thought I had the lot of you figured out…and then I met you, and I couldn't believe it…"

"Couldn't believe what? That I don't like caviar?" Lily joked, watching his feet swirl the water around below.

"No…I just couldn't believe how…how bloody _amazing_ you are."

She looked up at him, surprised.

"I'm not…I haven't done a thing to deserve to be called amazing."

"Sure you have…You're this wild and exciting woman, who won't let society take over her life and who makes her own decisions about what she wants…You don't care about what other people think and you're strong enough to stop what you don't like or rebel if you can't stop it or if someone tries to push you into the wrong thing."

"I don't know what girl you're talking about, but it certainly isn't me…At least, not now."

"I certainly don't know any other girl like that, as most of them think I'm some kind of bug, and you don't…_That_ attitude and spirit is what makes you different from the rest of them."

"I won't be too different from them in a few months time," Lily replied bitterly, glancing back down at the water. "I'll be married by July, and then…then I get to sit around Malfoy Manor and play the good little wife until I'm old and grey…I can't be amazing or exciting when I'm stuck with _that_ sham of a future."

"Well," James said, after a moment's pause. "What do you think your future would be like…if you weren't stuck with him?"

Lily laid back on the cool tiles, staring at the sparkling chandeliers, and contemplated his question. What _would _her future be like if she wasn't trapped with Lucius? Well, one thing was certain – she'd pick a better person to marry that time around.

"…I know I'd become a dancer. That's been my dream, ever since I was very little. I can't think of anything more exciting than dancing across a stage, in front of hundreds of people, and entertaining them for hours on end…Dancing is such a great pleasure and a wonderful art…" she laughed dryly. "Of course, dancing is only amazing until _your_ daughter wants to dance, and then it's the most awful thing you can imagine.

"My parents _hated _the thought of me being a dancer because _proper_ young ladies – like I'm supposed to be – _don't _dance to support themselves. _Proper_ ladies marry rich men and live the good life, not having to worry at all.

"They didn't seem to understand that I _wanted_ to have the thrill of worrying over something everyday or that I wanted to do something _other_ than marry and have children during my life…I wanted _more_ than what they were offering me. I was planning on travelling the world, visiting exotic places, and meeting new kinds of people…I was going to have adventures, meet the love of my life, and fulfil my dreams. I was going to make my life _worth _living." She raised her left hand above her, studying it for a moment. Her engagement ring glittered in the light and she glowered. "But instead, I got stuck with this…_thing_."

* * *

Lily lowered her hand after a moment and she glanced his way. She was watching him expectantly, as though she was waiting for him to make a snarky comment about her engagement ring again. But he didn't feel up to making any comments at the moment. Lily's proclamation about her dreams had struck a cord, reminding him about his future, and his own, unanswered dreams.

"I guess that might just be another thing we have in common, Lily."

Lily rose up on her elbows and stared at him, incredulous. "You have a five-carat engagement ring on your finger too?"

James chuckled in spite of his serious mood, and shook his head negatively.

"Both of us want to do something important with our lives, but we're stuck in society's expectations. You're supposed to marry a rich man, and I'm supposed to work all my life to support myself or an eventual family." he explained. "I was always a bit of a dreamer, still am, actually, but…I turned eleven the same day that the Wright brothers flew the first aeroplane in Kittyhawk, and somehow…I _knew_ that's what I wanted to do with my life. I wasn't going to let myself work to death in a factory for the rest of my life – one way or another, I was going to become a pilot, an aviator and see the world from the sky…"

"Why haven't you done it yet? You don't have anything holding you back, do you?"

He shrugged listlessly.

"I don't know why I haven't gone and done it yet…I think it might be because my life's a bit too frantic at the moment, with my odd jobs, this voyage, and doing the occasional work for Dumbledore – who isn't too keen on the idea of me flying in the first place…"

James grimaced at the thought of Dumbledore. The old man had out-right forbade him to even _think_ about flying when he brought up the subject during a talk with him. He seemed to think it was too dangerous and didn't want to risk losing James to some freak piloting accident. While James was rather touched that Dumbledore would care if he died, he didn't appreciate the fact that the Headmaster felt it right to shoot down his dreams and discourage him from doing what he wanted to do. So, as a result, James was going to directly disobey Dumbledore's wishes and get his piloting license while he was in America.

"Say we'll do that sometime."

Lily's sudden statement drew him out of his thoughts. He looked at her, wondering what on earth she meant.

"Do what?"

"Go flying."

James chuckled again, and leaned over her. His stupid hair fell into his eyes again, obscuring his view of the beauty beneath him, but he smiled at her all the same.

"All right," he agreed softly. "But I'll have to get my license first. And after that, I'll figure out how to fly over to Britain, and come rescue you from the boredom at Malfoy Manor."

"Instead of my handsome knight in shinning armour, you'll be my scruffy pilot in flying goggles," Lily laughed, reaching out and brushing his bangs away from his face, as if to emphasis her point on his scruffiness. Her hand lingered in his hair, playing with different strands as she talked. "And once you steal me away, we'll hide out in Paris and do all sorts of things, like climb the Eiffel Tower at night or go to questionable pubs."

James couldn't believe that this was actually happening. Here he was, in _Titanic_'s swimming bath, leaning over the most wonderful, beautiful (and non-available) girl he had ever met, while she played with his hair and mapped out a future for them.

A future, his heart noted with a dull ache, which would never exist between the two of them.

"Once we're discovered in Paris, we'll make our way back to America, and head for the west coast," he added, playing along with her. He tried to ignore the how good her fingers felt in his hair or the way she was looking at him right now, with those gorgeous green eyes…but it wasn't working too well. "We'll go to beaches, piers, bars, those amusement parks…and eventually build a house, right on the beach – a nice little house, with a porch and a garden. Then, we'll - "

" – live happily ever after?"

Somehow, his face had gotten much closer to hers during his speech. Her hand pressing on the back of his neck might've had something to do with it, yet he wasn't about to complain to her about it to her.

"If that's what you want."

Lily thought about it for a moment and he thought she looked positively irresistible as she did so. Maybe he was imagining things, but she seemed to have leaned closer to him while she was thinking.

"I _suppose_ that'll work…As long as I don't have to live my happily ever after with _your_ mop of hair," she exclaimed, running her hand through his hair again. He shivered, delighted at the feel.

"I think I'll keep my hair like this if it gets you to play with it all the time," he murmured huskily. Giggling, she ran her hand through it one more time, before settling her hand on his cheek. "Lily…I…"

"Hmmm?" she replied, idly caressing the side of his cheek. Her eyes were glassy, half-closed, and he could feel her hot breath on his cheek. Her full lips were just _there_, waiting for him, taunting him…

"I think…I think that…"

The last bit of reason James had was screaming for him to stop, to pull away, to do something other than what he was about to do…It was truly a pity that James usually never listened to his reasonable side –

"OY! WHAT'RE YOU DOING IN HERE?"

James snapped back into attention faster than he thought imaginable, and quickly pulled away from Lily. He sat up and looked around the source of the distraction, and found it in the doorway of the bath.

He nearly beat his head into the tiles in frustration at the sight. Of all the _stupid _things to interrupt them, it had to be a steward. _A bloody, pompous steward. _

"Well, what're you doing in here?" he repeated, glaring. He left the doorway and marched forward. James stood up when he reached them, and he towered over the meddlesome steward, who didn't look deterred at all. "_You're_ _not allowed!_"

"Of course we are!" Lily exclaimed, poking her head out from behind James's legs. Her face was nearly as red as her hair and she looked like she was trying to compose herself.

The steward looked positively aghast at the sight of her and backed off a few steps.

"O – Oh, sorry ma'am…Excuse me, I thought that this _thug - _" he shot James a dirty look. " - was alone. He must have managed to sneak past the gates and in here. I hope he hasn't bothered you. I'll escort him out immediately."

"You most certainly will not!" Lily replied indignantly, pulling her legs out of the bath water and standing up beside James. "This man is a friend of mine and I brought him into the bath with me."

"But ma'am, the steerage are not allowed - "

"If you want to throw him out, you'll him to throw me out as well," Lily replied, folding her arms over her chest and glaring at the steward, who looked torn at the choice of disobeying White Star Line policy or displeasing a passenger.

"All right…If that's what you wish," the steward said after a moment of hesitation. He crinkled his nose in distaste at James one more time and James glowered back. With a sniff, the steward on his heel and began walking back toward the exit. He was nearly out the door, when he turned back, a smug expression on his. "Though I wouldn't get too close…fleas are contagious, you know."

Then, as if sensing James's murderous intentions, he ran the rest of the way out and quickly slammed the door behind him. The sound of the door slamming echoed off the walls, and then silence momentarily settled on the bath. Then –

"That bloody _wanker! _That son of a - "

James stared incredulously at Lily as she went off on a tirade that described (in vivid detail) the steward's ancestors – including, but not limited to, his father, mother, and grandparents – his personal habits, and where she would shove one of her pointed shoes if she got the chance. She finished with a dramatic huff and a snarl written on her face.

"Um…right," James added, recovering from the shock of Lily's outburst a minute or two later. "…And I _don't_ have fleas!"

Lily's snarl broke and she stared at James, looking torn between amusement and shock.

"_What?_ You said everything _I_ wanted to say…" he replied, running a hand through his hair. "And, _Jesus_, you swear like a footballer! My God, and I thought Sirius was bad – HEY! Don't shove me while I'm near the bath – "

James took a step backward to avoid Lily, and unfortunately, there was nothing behind him to stand on. He made a great show of trying to regain his balance by waving his arms and teetering on the edge of the bath, but gravity eventually went into effect and James fell backward into the bath with a large splash.

He resurfaced a moment later, spluttering like a maniac. The water was cold, but not entirely unpleasant, and only went up to his chest. His clothes were sticking to him uncomfortably and water was dripping off his hair and over glasses, obscuring his vision. He reached up and wiped them off after a moment, and swam back over to the side of the bath.

Lily was laughing and her laughter echoed throughout the bath. After she had gotten herself under control, she knelt down to meet him at the side. She observed him for a moment, before reaching out a hand and touching his hair.

"Doesn't it _ever _lie straight?"

"Of course not."

And with that, James grabbed her hand and pulled her, shrieking, into the bath.

* * *

Thanks for reading and please review.


	9. Chapter Nine

**Author's Notes:** Sorry for the incredibly _long_ delay in getting this chapter posted. I was extremely busy these last two months with homework, softball practice four days a week, and my first job as a McDonald's worker drone. My schedule's calmed down quite a bit, so the next update shouldn't be such a long wait. Thank you all for reading and reviewing the last chapters, and I hope you enjoy this one just as much.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Harry Potter or any references toward James Cameron's _Titanic_.

**Chapter Nine**

_3:45 PM_

Severus Snape was going to be in trouble.

Lucius had called on him to go find Lily and check on how she was behaving in her sister's company today. Severus had thought this to be a boringly simple task that a mere steward could do, but he knew better than to disagree with Lucius when he was in a bad mood and when Sirius Black was hovering in the background, waiting to pounce at the first sign of trouble. So, after dully promising to report back to Lucius within the hour, he had left in search of Lily Evans.

That had been forty-five minutes ago and his time was running out. Though, to his credit, the task had turned out to be much more difficult than it had first sounded.

He _had_ located that infernal Dursley woman only a few minutes after he began searching. She had been busy in the writing room, composing a sickening love letter to her fat oaf of a husband, but the only problem was that her sister was nowhere in sight. Dursley was so absorbed by her letter, that she was oblivious to his approach or anything else going on around her.

Annoyed, Severus decided to leave without asking Dursley anything (for doing so would give him quite the headache) and decided that it was possible that Lily had taken leave of her sister and gone out on the Promenade.

Severus searched a good portion of the A and B deck Promenades, before harassing some shifty looking stewards about her location. According to the stewards, they hadn't seen Lily at all and eventually suggested that he'd be better off looking inside for her instead of on the Boat Deck like he had planned.

Heading their advice, he spent the next fifteen minutes combing a good half of the inner first class areas, re-checking the staterooms, and asking around for her, but the results were all negative.

It was as though Lily Evans had just disappeared.

Of course, he wasn't going to inform Lucius of this small problem. Lucius would not take the news well and it would be best for Severus' future health if he kept his mouth shut until he actually located the missing girl.

Besides, what Lucius didn't know at the moment wouldn't hurt him (or any innocent bystanders) in the slightest.

"Sir," a steward stated, nodding to him. Severus nodded back stiffly and the steward opened the door to the smoking room for him.

Lucius was easy enough to spot in the large, elegant room. He and Tom had occupied the same table and plush armchairs in front of the fire since Wednesday, and no one dared to take their spot. Severus presumed they only sat there because Tom – being the art mogul that he was – liked the painting hanging over the fireplace mantle.

At the moment, the two of them were _still_ talking with that wanker, Black. Lucius looked a bit miffed about something (Severus would be too if he had to share company with a daft idiot like Black for more than an hour) but his expression cleared somewhat when he saw Severus approaching.

"It certainly took you long enough," Lucius stated crossly when he reached the table. "I didn't know my _darling_ fiancée was as hard to locate as she is to handle."

Black sneered delightedly.

"There was a bit of trouble locating Miss Evans and her sister," Severus admitted, lying through his teeth. If there was one talent he was thankful for, it was his ability to lie and lie well. It had probably saved his life more than once in the past year. "They were in the writing room. Evans was reading a book while Mrs. Dursley was writing a letter. Evans looked as though she was behaving herself, but her sister wouldn't give me a clear answer…you know how she is."

Lucius rolled his eyes. "I expected as much."

"Is there anything else you would like done?" Severus asked, ignoring Black's growing sneer and Tom's suspicious eyes for the moment.

His employer thought about it for a few moments and then said, "Yes. Make sure that one of my finest suits is pressed and ready for tonight's dinner. That steerage rat, Porter - "

"Potter," Black corrected almost instantly.

Lucius shot him a warning glare and it was Severus' turn to sneer.

" – _Potter _will be joining us for dinner tonight and I'd like to look my best. Unlock the safe as well and take out the necklace." Lucius continued, his eyes still on Black. "I want to remind that scum who Lily belongs to…"

As Severus nodded his agreement, he noticed that Black suddenly looked very uncomfortable. It served him right, having ties with a man like –

Abruptly, realisation hit him. It was so completely obvious; he didn't know how he hadn't even considered it in the first place.

Lily Evans was nowhere to be found in the _first class_.

Which could only mean that she was off traipsing with that egotistical steerage vermin, James Potter.

* * *

The steerage cabins on _Titanic_ were a far cry from the luxury staterooms of the first class. The cabin itself wasn't even half the size of Lily's stateroom and was not as elegantly decorated. There were two metal berths with rather lumpy looking mattresses, a sink with a mirror directly across from the door, and a small bureau at the foot of each berth. There was a small porthole next to the sink and it was open slightly.

Lily observed all this carefully before plopping herself down on one of the berths and lying down on it.

"You're going to ruin my bed, sitting on it with your wet clothes," James scolded, shutting the cabin door behind him and leaning on it. "How'd you know that was mine anyway?"

"Remus's side is cleaner than yours," she replied, grinning at him. She pointed to the clothes piled around the bed and James flushed slightly. "And besides, if _someone _hadn't pulled me into the bath, I wouldn't have wet clothes and wouldn't be ruining your bed."

"You had fun, didn't you?" he asked, folding his arms over his chest and smirking at her. "After all, it's not everyday that a girl gets to spend a half an hour swimming with someone like myself for free."

Lily picked up his pillow and threw it at him. He dodged and it hit the wall, spitting out a few feathers.

"You have horrible aim, you know that?" he commented, bending down to pick up his pillow.

"And you're horribly big-headed," Lily stated, sticking her tongue out at him. "Did anyone ever tell you that or did they think that you couldn't handle that kind of criticism?"

"People _delighted_ in telling me that," James said, rolling his eyes. "Probably because I _was_ an arrogant little berk a few years ago. I was well liked at Hogwarts as I was a good footballer, and – since I was never anything more than street trash before school – I let that popularity go to my head. It didn't help me any that Sirius Black was my best friend either, but I'm pretty sure I got a bit better after I was named Head Boy. Had to be responsible and set an example, you know."

"Head Boy? That's astounding." Lily praised, rolling over onto her stomach to avoid looking at the ceiling. "I would've liked to be a Head if I hadn't be so dead-set about getting expelled from Beauxbatons."

"_I_ caused more trouble than I was worth and Dumbledore still picked me. I thought he was a bit mad, but gits like Snape viewed it as favouritism." He explained, throwing the pillow back on his bed as he walked over to the back of the room. "I better get you some dry clothes or I'll be paying for some new linen…"

Lily picked at her newly ruined dress carefully. The dye had run quite a bit and the lace had been stained. The satin felt terrible and several of the decorative flowers on the hem and her collar had fallen off. For fifty pounds, it was certainly poorly made.

"Petunia is going to kill me when she sees this."

James bent down by one of the trunks in the back of the room and opened it up. He began searching through the contents, presumably looking for some clothes for her to wear.

"So just don't show her the dress," he reasoned, throwing an old textbook over his shoulder. "Bury it in your laundry and when she finds it, blame it one something other than going for a swim with a 'steerage rat'."

Lily mulled this idea over for a bit. Petunia never _did _look to closely into things – unless it was the latest gossip – and if Lily fed her some half-baked lie, she'd accept it and throw the dress out without hesitation.

"I know you don't need any more compliments, but that's an excellent suggestion."

James grinned at her over his shoulder as he shut the trunk. He stood up and tossed a shirt and pair of trousers at her. She sat up and caught them, surprised.

"You expect me to wear _trousers_?" she asked, unfolding his shirt and looking at it critically.

"I don't exactly carry dresses with me," he replied with a laugh. "You've worn trousers before, haven't you?"

"Yes, but that was at _Beauxbatons_ and I wasn't engaged to a Malfoy then."

James walked over to his bureau and opened some drawers, obviously looking for some dry clothes for himself.

"Well, it's not like you'll be wearing them for the rest of the day, and I think your fiancée would rather you wear trousers than go flouncing around in first class in just your underskirts." He explained, pulling out some clothes from a drawer and setting them on top of the dresser.

Lily flushed and she looked at the clothes in her lap to avoid his gaze. The trousers were worn and the material was patched in some places. Like his shirt she had looked at before, the trousers were rather threadbare and faded. James' other clothes looked rather new compared to these.

"So why is it that I get the older clothes?" she asked, picking at some loose threads on the trouser cuffs. She looked up at him and every thought in her head came to a stop.

James was in the process of removing his shirt. Her breath caught in her throat as she watched him unlatch his last button and slowly pull his shirt over his head. He threw the shirt on the floor and then ran a hand through his already rumpled hair. He was talking, but none of his words were registering, as all she could do was stare at his exposed body.

His arms were muscular and tan from all of the hard labour he had done in the past and his stomach was flat, but slightly rippled with muscle. His chest was strong and lean, and –

"See something you like?"

James was smirking at her and he had another shirt in hand. His question slowly registered in her head and she snapped back into reality. She tore her eyes away from him, embarrassed. She buried her face in her hands, trying to hide her reddening face.

She was an idiot. How could she have done that, staring at him as though he was an animal on display? It was bad enough that she was alone and in his cabin with him, but to stare at him half-naked? _Christ_, no wonder Lucius treated her like a child!

…But if her actions were so wrong, why had it felt so…_right_ when she had been looking?Why had she wanted nothing more than to feel his arms wrap around her and hold her close to his strong chest, like they had the first night they had met? Why had she wanted to feel his bare skin under her fingers and – and…

Suddenly, she felt two hands grasp her own and pry them away from her face, down toward her lap. She looked up and into James's eyes guiltily. He had kneeled in front of her (thankfully he had put on a fresh shirt) and looked a bit embarrassed himself.

"I'm sorry," he apologised, his cheeks reddening sheepishly. "That was rude of me. I shouldn't have said that or - "

"_You_ don't need to apologise. _I_ was the one who acting like an idiot." She responded evenly. His eyes sparked from behind his glasses and her heart's tempo sped up dramatically. "You must think of me as such a…a _scarlet woman_ now."

James shook his head and a piece of hair fell into his eyes. The urge to reach out and brush it away was tempting, but Lily resisted, remembering where they had almost gotten the last time she had played with his hair.

"I don't. It was mostly my fault anyway. I forgot that there was a lady in the room with me, instead of Remus or something male. I'm just so used to…well, tossing my clothes everywhere…" the red tinge on his cheeks intensified briefly. "that I just didn't think about you sitting on my bed and watching."

"I could've at least had the courtesy to look away."

"_Well_…" he began teasingly, a smirk replacing his sheepish grin. "If you insist that I must forgive you, I suppose I can. After all, it _is_ hard to find courtesy when you're looking at the modern day Adonis."

In spite of herself, Lily laughed and then promptly threw a pillow into his face.

* * *

Remus was reading _The_ _Atlantic Daily Bulletin_ for the second time today when Sirius came skidding into the general area. He caught sight of his friend hurrying toward him in his peripheral vision and quickly folded the newspaper up and set it down. Sirius reached his table a moment later, clutching his side and panting.

"I haven't seen you this worn out since Filch chased you around the lake back in seventh year," Remus commented dryly, pulling out a chair for his friend. "Did your meeting just get over?"

"Y – Yeah…Nearly _four_ bloody hours," Sirius replied, accepting the chair and slouching in it. His chest was heaving and Remus let him catch his breath before motioning for him to continue. "At first, they just discussed things I already knew – complete power over the poor and lower classes – but then they started talking about things I'm not even sure _Dumbledore_ knows."

Remus's eyebrows rose in surprise and he leaned forward in his chair to get a better listen.

"Like what?"

Sirius shook his head. "It'll take me another two hours to tell you everything and I don't have that kind of time…Got to back above decks in a few minutes. I only ran down here to tell you something important."

He sat back in his chair, frustrated. "What's more important than new information?"

"James."

"What about him?" Remus asked, alarmed. After the conversation they'd had earlier this morning, anything about James was worth worrying over. "I just saw him about ten minutes ago."

"Was he with Lily?"

Sirius's voice was tense and when Remus nodded, the Black heir let out a curse.

"Where were they going? Not up to the first class?"

He nodded again. "James was going to be a gentleman and escort her to her stateroom…Is there something wrong, Sirius?"

"Apparently, Miss Evans is a big fat liar," Sirius exclaimed bitterly, running a hand through his black hair. "Malfoy was under the impression that Lily was supposed to be with her sister today instead of running about with our Prongsie. From what I heard, he forbade her to come in contact with James until dinner tonight, but quite obviously she didn't listen…So you can imagine how uncomfortable I was when Malfoy sent Snape to go find her."

Remus frowned at the mention of their school rival and asked, "What'd he say?"

"Oh, he lied and very persuasively as well. I don't think he even thought about the possibility of James being the cause of her disappearance until I mentioned him – not purposely, mind you. Malfoy called him 'Porter' and I corrected him. Then Snape got that look of dawning comprehension on his face. You know, like when he realises that we've tampered with one of his chemistry experiments." Sirius explained, scowling. "He knew…He'll probably tell Malfoy the truth later on tonight?"

"…What'd you think Malfoy'll do about it?"

"Probably threaten Lily, but if they continue seeing each other and he finds out…" Sirius's voice trailed off.

He didn't need to finish his sentence. Remus had heard enough stories from senior members of the Order to know what happened when someone got in Malfoy's way.

He frowned in distress and diverted his gaze to the newspaper on the table in front of him. How did everything get so complicated so fast? This mission was supposed to have been simple and now, barely three days into the mission, James was already in danger.

"We_ need _to do something about this."

"What can we do? I just can't waltz up to Malfoy and tell him that Snape was making things up you know."

"I know that. What I meant was that we need..." he sighed, feeling a headache coming on. "We need to stop James from seeing Lily."

Sirius stared at him, his mouth hanging open in surprise.

"_What?_" he asked.

"You heard me…We have to stop them from seeing each other. It's the only way that we can prevent James from getting hurt."

He felt horrible for even suggesting it. If James ever found out (and most likely, he would), he'd be furious. The last time he, Sirius, and Peter had interfered with his life, James hadn't talked to them for a month. And _that_ conflict had been over something trivial…

"…He'll _hate_ us for doing it," Sirius whispered at last, obviously having the same thoughts as Remus. His voice was odd sounding and he suddenly looked quite a few years older. "We'll be just like them."

"James will understand…If not right way, later on." Remus replied, his throat tight. "I'd rather him have a broken heart than a broken skull."

Sirius slowly nodded in agreement. "It's…it's for his own good."

"Right," Remus said though his words sounded awfully hollow. "…For his own good."

* * *

"Is the corridor clear?"

James peered around the corner and into the first class lobby area. A few people were milling about, but no one he recognised or he thought would give them any trouble.

"Just a few people," he replied, looking over his shoulder at Lily. He almost didn't recognise her without her fancy clothes.

His clothes (though slightly smaller than what he was wearing at the moment) were much too big for her and they'd had to roll up sleeves several times before she could use her hands without the material getting in the way. James had to pull out a set of suspenders to keep the trousers from billowing around her ankles, and the only thing that fit out of everything he had given her was the hat hiding her long red locks.

"Why couldn't we have gone a bit further aft?" he asked, looking around the corner again. "This is too public of a place to walk in. Someone will see me and then I'll get my – excuse my language – arse kicked back down to third class."

"I told you, this is the most direct course to my stateroom…At least, I _think_ it is. Anyway, just walk right beside me until we reach my corridor." She stated, a lock of hair falling down from under the cap. "No one will pay attention to you."

"You're right. Who would pay attention to the stupid blighter carrying around a wet and ruined dress?" James replied dryly and she scowled at him.

"Oh, I'll carry it if you're going to make that much of a fuss over it," she sighed, taking the dress from his arms. She shifted it so that it was partially covering her face and then said, "Is the better then?"

"Perfect," he murmured, reaching out and tucking the stray lock of hair behind her ear. His hand lingered by her cheek before he reluctantly let it fall back to his side. "Let's go."

They quickly left the corridor they had been lurking in and walked out in the lobby. The passed by the Grand Staircase and several other passengers, but Lily had been right – no one even bothered to glance at the two of them. James supposed it was because he looked rich enough, wearing the overcoat Sirius had accidentally left down in the third class general room yesterday. He was trying to imitate the mannerisms of the rich as well – nose stuck up in the air, a fancy jaunt – and that wasn't too hard to accomplish after attending school with snobby rich boys for nearly five years.

Once they had reached the safe confines of the corridor, James relaxed and slumped back into his old posture. Lily giggled and carefully handed the ruined dress back over to him as the walked further down the hallway.

"You do a very remarkable job of imitating a first class passenger," she stated, smiling up at him, impressed. "I almost believed you actually _were _once of us – except that your nose was a bit _too_ high in the air."

"_That's_ why it felt like I was going to get a nosebleed any moment," he responded lightly, shifting the dress in his arms. "So which one of these is yours?"

"The next one over," she said. She pointed at a door on the right as they passed. "That's the entrance to our sitting room and Lucius' stateroom was on the corner."

"You have a _sitting room_ in your cabin?"

"_Connected_ to my stateroom."

James stared at her.

"And here I though having a sink in my cabin was elegance."

Lily giggled again and stopped in front of one of the corridor's many white doors. She pulled a key out from her pocket and stuck in the keyhole. She turned the key and James heard the familiar 'click' of an unlocking door. Lily removed the key and looked over her shoulder at him, smiling coyly.

"Do you want to come inside?"

James shook his head and her smile faded a little.

"As much as I would like to, I don't think it would be a very good idea…Your fiancé and sister might burst in and we're stepping on thin enough ice the way it is." He replied, glancing up and down the corridor furtively.

"I suppose you're right," she sighed, turning around. "But how am I going to return your clothes to you?"

"Well, as they don't fit me any more, I suppose you can keep 'em if you like. Though, you might have to hide them with _this_ – " he said, shifting the dress as he placed it back into her arms. " – just so your sister doesn't burn them."

"Even your hat?"

James grinned and pulled the cap of her head, freeing her long tresses. Her hair came spilling down, into her face and over her shoulders in a wavy mess.

"I take that as another 'no'," she exclaimed, attempting to blow her hair out of her eyes. "I rather liked that hat too."

Instinctively, James reached out and brushed the remaining strands away from her face. His hand trailed the side of her face, barely touching her cheek, before it came to rest lightly at the base of her neck.

"It didn't suit your looks at all, luv…Kept your eyes shadows and your hair hidden." He paused, playing with the hair entwined around his fingers. "…You know, I think you should keep your hair down more often."

"Why? So it can become a big, tangled mess within ten minutes?" she scoffed, rolling her eyes.

He moved in a bit closer to her, studying her face carefully.

"…I like the way you look with it down," he admitted, his fingers unconsciously tracing patterns on her neck.

Her eyes softened and she smiled at him, her face aglow with…with…

That same emotion he was feeling?

The emotion that made him want to touch her and run his hands through her hair…the emotion that made him feel like nothing he had ever experienced it his life? What made him ache when she looked at him a certain way or to hold her close and never let go? Why did had he only known her for two days and have the desire to kiss her so passionately that the very thought of it made him shiver?

He had nearly kissed her in the swimming bath and from what her eyes were telling him, she would have no objections if he tried again –

A door slammed further down the corridor and James jumped in surprise. He removed his hand from her hair and quickly looked down the hallway for the source of the disturbance. Deciding that he'd rather not wait around to see who it was, he backed away from Lily and jammed his hat back on his head.

"I'd better go," he stated, bitter frustration seeping into his tone. Why was it that they were always interrupted? "I'll see you at dinner then?"

"Yes," Lily breathed, sounding – if he wasn't mistaken – almost as disappointed as he felt. She shifted the dress in her arms and opened her stateroom door with her free hand. "I'll see you then."

She turned to go in, but James grabbed her wrist, causing her to stop and turn to look at him. He lifted her captured hand to his lips slowly and placed a light kiss on her knuckles.

"A consolation."

The look on her face as he dropped her hand and walked away was incredible.

* * *

Thanks for reading and please review.


	10. Chapter Ten

**Author's notes: **Once again, I shall apologise for the wait for this chapter. I had it completed at around the beginning of December, but then I decided to wait until I finished Chapter 11 to post it since both chapters directly relate with each other and would be better to read with both of them up. So I started hurrying with Chapter 11 and I was about half-way done before I realised that I wasn't going to be able to finish that chapter and ship it out to my beta all before I went on vacation to someplace without a computer. To be nice, I figured I should just post this ten now and then post eleven when I get back and finish it.

Thanks to my beta, Amethyst, and to my best friend who let's me bounce plot ideas off her, so long as she gets a sneak peak at the next chapter.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Harry Potter or any references to James Cameron's _Titanic_.

**Chapter Ten**

_5:40 PM_

James rapped his knuckles hard against stateroom D-22's door and waited for the occupant to answer. He glanced up and down the corridor, noticing a few other passengers approaching from further down the corridor, then shifted nervously, mentally willing Sirius to open his damn door faster so he wouldn't have a repeat of what had just occurred twenty minutes ago.

After he had left Lily standing in her doorway, he attempted to make his way down to D-deck where Sirius's stateroom was located. Unfortunately, a steward had caught him descending the Grand Staircase and he was promptly kicked back down to the third class. The steward obviously thought that once James was behind locked gates, he would _stay_ there, but once the steward had gone back above decks, James had picked the gate's lock and snuck back up to D-deck.

Suddenly, the handle on the stateroom door rattled and the door swung back. However, standing behind it was not the person James had expected to answer.

"Oh…er…Hullo, Regulus," James greeted uncomfortably, staring into the eyes of his friend's brother. "How are you doing?"

Regulus Black narrowed his cold blue eyes at James and his face twisted into an unpleasant sneer. He was already dressed in his dinner things and his black hair was swept back rather imposingly.

"Aren't you in the wrong class, Potter? If the state of your clothes indicates anything," Regulus' sneer deepened as he took in James's appearance and his words dripped with contempt, "you're still as dirt poor as I last remember you…Do you want me to call a steward to escort you back to where you belong?"

James frowned at the younger man, exasperated.

"I'm glad to see that you haven't changed at all," he replied evenly. "Actually, I'm in the right class and I'm looking for your brother. He's in, right?"

"Sirius doesn't associate with your kind any more, Potter. Didn't you know that already?" Regulus asked. "Or was he just reluctant to inform his loyal followers – "

"Oh, just _get_ out of the way, Regulus, and let Potter in for God's sake!" Sirius exclaimed, walking up behind his younger brother only clothed in his trousers and a white shirt. He frowned and lightly shoved him out of the way. "If you want to have a spat than come inside and do it. I don't need you two to cause a scene in the corridor for everyone to see."

It was astounding how the two brothers could look so alike and yet could be so different at the same time. Both Blacks had the same blue eyes (although Regulus' were much colder and paler) and the same black locks that framed their regal, handsome features. They were tall and lanky, but as Sirius was older, he had a slight height advantage over his brother.

Their similarities ended at their looks, however. The two were as different as night and day when it came to their personalities. Regulus lacked the natural confidence that made his older brother such a charismatic person to be around and wasn't quite as expressive or playful. He had a shrewd, calculating nature that often gave off the impression that whenever he was doing something, he was only doing it as to benefit himself.

"I thought you said that you were finished with people like _him_," Regulus stated, glaring at his older brother. "Or perhaps I heard you incorrectly?"

His words and eyes were thick with a suspicion James was sure had been lurking for quite a few weeks. Sirius had started acting like a great prat weeks before he had boarded _Titanic_ to make his job of spying on Death Eaters a bit easier. It was a good thing as well; otherwise, Regulus would've gone running to Malfoy the moment Sirius started his ploy.

"It happens that I owe him a favour and after three years, he's finally decided to use it," Sirius shot back irritably. "Otherwise, I wouldn't consider coming near riffraff like him."

"It's not like I enjoy taking a favour from a narcissistic bastard like yourself either," James added, playing right along with Sirius. He pushed his glasses back up on the bridge of his nose and shot his friend a disgusted glare. "I just want some dinner clothes and then I'll be gone."

"Why do you need dinner clothes?" Regulus asked, glancing between the two of them pryingly.

Sirius rolled his eyes and motioned for James to come inside the stateroom. He did so, pushing past Regulus (who was trying to block the door), and walked into the room, standing in the middle as Regulus slammed the door shut. The younger Black leaned on the doorjamb and continued to scowl at James.

"What'd you need dinner clothes for anyway?" he repeated as Sirius walked into a small, adjoining room to the left of James. "_You're_ not coming to dinner, are you?"

"_Excellent_ deduction, Sherlock," Sirius snapped from the adjoining room. He stepped out of what must've been the wardrobe a moment later, a pile of nice clothes in his hands. "Mal – _Lucius_ invited him to dinner tonight and he wants to look suitable enough to pass as a gentleman. God knows he needs more than clothes to pull that off…" Sirius shot a condescending look toward James, who got the strong impression that Sirius had borrowed that look from his mother. "I hope you don't mind, but he's going to have to borrow one of your sets. Mine are too big for him."

Regulus wrinkled his nose in distaste as his brother dumped the clothes into James's arms and then stated, "I'm going to have to burn that set after he's done with them…I'll be lucky if I don't escape this _room_ without catching one of his diseases."

"_I'll_ be lucky if I don't turn into a stuck-up arse after I get done wearing these," James retorted.

The corners of Sirius's lips twitched in amusement and Regulus glowered darkly. He removed himself from the door and walked over to one of the nightstands, picking up a familiar set of pearl studded cuff links.

"Why did Lucius bother to lower himself to invite such vermin to dinner, Sirius?" he asked, putting on the cuff links. James noticed he was watching him out of the corner of his eye and he nearly sighed in exasperation.

"I saved his fiancée's life, so he decided to use his manners and invite me to dinner as repayment. Shocking, isn't it?"

"Did _I_ ask _you_, you worthless worm – "

"Are you about _done_ asking stupid questions yet, you twat?" Sirius interrupted, noticing his brother's increasingly rude (and twitchy) behaviour. "Since you're all ready and Potter's presence seems to be such a great bother to you and your cuff links, why don't you just _get out_ of here and go to bloody dinner already?" He pointed at the door. "It's not like you're needed here any more."

"Potter isn't _bothering_ me," the younger boy denied, snorting in disbelief at his brother's presumption. However, he did try to stay as far away from James as he could when he walked back over to the door and opened it.

"Don't you be listening at the door! I'll know if you do!"

"Oh, and Regulus?" James called as the younger man stepped out the door. "If I had wanted those cufflinks _that_ badly, I would've stolen them again after I had given them back to you in the first place."

Regulus shot James one final glare of disgust at him before he slammed the door shut, rattling the crystal chandelier on the ceiling. They waited for his footsteps to fade down the hallway before they spoke again.  
"Do I _actually_ have to wear _his_ clothes?" James implored, looking at Sirius for confirmation.

"Christ! I _hate_ that little _bastard!_" Sirius exclaimed loudly, ignoring James's enquiry. He threw his dinner jacket on the floor violently and marched over to the chest of drawers to throw some more expensive things. "How can I be related to such a pricky, stuck-up, snot nosed brat?"

"I suppose it's the same way you can be related to a maid-murdering mad woman," James replied, ducking as something breakable flew over his head.

"Sometimes he acts so bad that I just want to rip every limb from his body and just – _ARGH!_"

James laughed and walked over toward the walk-in wardrobe to change.

"Seeing yours and Regulus' relationship makes me appreciate the fact that I don't have any siblings all the better."

* * *

Lily hummed softly as she pulled up hair, delicately pinning each piece into place. She eyed her reflection in the mirror critically, turning her head side to side for a better look. Satisfied, she set her brush down and reached for her oak jewellery box. She opened it and began searching through the contents for a decorative hairpiece.

As she was pulling out a gold, diamond studded hair clip, there was a soft knock on her door. Without even waiting for her permission to enter, the door opened and Lucius stepped through, reflected in her mirror.

"Lucius!" she exclaimed, looking over her shoulder at him. She drew her dressing gown tight over her chest. "Couldn't you have waited a few more minutes? I'm not properly dressed!"

"Is _that_ what you're wearing tonight?" he asked, completely ignoring her protest and pointing to the evening gown lain out on her bed.

"Yes," she replied stiffly, watching him closely.

The gown she had picked out for tonight was her favourite one. It was gold satin with a second layer of sheer black material covering the satin. The train was all gold except for a streak of black down the middle and was shorter than the usual fashion. Her favourite detail of the dress was that it dropped deliciously low in the front and back…

She thought James would particularly enjoy that aspect of it.

"You're not wearing it," Lucius stated shortly after inspecting the dress closely.

"What? Why not?" she exclaimed angrily, rising from her chair. Her grip on her dressing gown loosed and Lucius got a quick view of her corsets before she quickly covered herself again. "I like that gown!"

"You're not wearing that gown. It won't match," Lucius responded, his voice hard. His eyes were focused on the area where her dressing down had been open and there was a hunger in them she had never seen before.

"It won't match with what?" she asked, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. She clutched her dressing robe tighter over her chest, wishing she had something more than a corset on underneath.

"This."

He moved forward and held out a familiar black velvet box. Lily stepped back in surprise, bumping into her vanity.

"The heirloom? B – But I don't want to wear it."

His eyes flashed and he moved in closer, looking dangerous. She tried to back away but the vanity blocked her movements.

"Why don't you want to wear the necklace? You're my fiancée," he stated, stopping in front of her. He placed the box on the vanity counter, leaving his hands free, and moved a few inches closer. "You're expected to wear these sorts of jewels. It conveys your place, your power to the rest of the world…Why _wouldn't_ you want to wear it?"

She couldn't tell him how much the necklace made her feel like a prisoner, how she hated the feel and the look of it around her neck. She didn't want to feel its cold, heavy weight bearing down on her, reminding her that she was his or –

"Well?" he asked impatiently, laying his hands on her shoulders.

"People…people will talk," she murmured, her chest heaving in panic. She tried to back away again, but the vanity and his imprisoning arms kept her securely in place. "I'm not a Malfoy, yet I'm still wearing something of the family's…It will give people ideas."

There was barely any room between them now and she could feel his hot breath against her cheek. One of his hands left her shoulder and moved lower, brushing past her chest and settling on her waist.

"I can make you become a Malfoy," he replied, his voice low and suggestive. He gripped her hand that was keeping the top of her dressing robe closed and slowly pried it away from the cloth. "I'm sure it wouldn't bother you as much if their ideas were the truth."

His lower hand began untying the string of her robe and it fell open a moment later. His hands dipped inside and –

"S–Stop!"

He paused, his grip loosening on the cloth, and she pushed him away, frightened. He shot her a hard look and she turned away, trying to cover herself. There was a stiff, unpleasant silence between them for a moment and then…

"Lily – " he began warningly, reaching out and gripping her shoulder.

"I – I have to get ready!" she snapped, shrugging his hand off her shoulder violently. She turned and brushed past him, toward her wardrobe. "What – What do you want me to wear instead?"

He didn't answer, but instead marched over to the door. His footsteps paused right behind her for a second and she froze, terrified, but then he continued on his way and opened the door.

"Try something green," he suggested callously and she could just imagine the furious glare he was sending her. He then ended their conversation with the violent slamming of the stateroom door, causing the beads to rattle in the light fixture above her head.

Lily let out a breath she hadn't been aware that she was holding and buried her face in her trembling hands.

* * *

"Good evening sir."

James stared.

The steward who was holding the Grand Staircase door open for him was the same steward who'd had him tossed back into third class nearly an hour ago.

"Er…right," he replied, nodding politely to the steward as he passed through the door and into the foyer. He twisted his head, taking one last glance at the steward.

Did he really look _that_ different without his baggy clothes and with his hair combed properly for once?

Shaking his head in amusement, James walked over toward the railing and looked out over the Grand Staircase foyer. The wrought iron dome was illuminated brightly and it cast a golden glow over the entire area. The elegance here was astounding; from the intricacies of the oaken staircase to the glittering riches of the passengers. Nothing was second rate.

Slowly, James made his way over the staircase and went down. He stopped at the landing to look at the astounding clock. It was ten minutes after six and – after a quick look around the lower foyer – there was no sign of his dinner mates. Hoping that he hadn't missed them already, James walked down the rest of the staircase and over to a wooden pillar nearby. He leaned against it and crossed his arms of his chest, trying to relax.

Quite a few other passengers came down the stairs within the first few minutes of James' wait, but none of them were people he wanted to see. Nearly all of them glared at him as he passed, which made James wonder if the incident with the steward had just been a fluke.

When the clock had reached twenty after, Sirius appeared on the staircase with his mother perched on his arm. Lacerta Black looked imposing, dressed in all grey silk with small sapphire necklace glittering on her neck. Sirius looked fancy as well, but both of them shared the same angry, annoyed expression that implied that they'd probably just finished arguing.

When they passed by James's perch (Lacerta sniffed haughtily at him), Sirius cleared his throat loudly and straightened his posture quite a bit more. James stared after his friend, wondering what on earth _that_ had been about –

Oh. Right.

James uncrossed his arms and stopped leaning on the column. He brushed his tuxedo off carefully and glanced around the foyer, making sure no one had seen his sudden, ungraceful movement. He placed one hand behind his back and straightened his back until he was nearly rigid.

Posture was important in _this_ world, right along with money and power. Professor Flitwick had once told him that posture reflected a man's grip on the world and his poor posture probably explained why all the first passengers had been glaring at him.

There were so many rules he needed to remember, so many facts and explanations. He felt like a spy going into enemy territory (a feeling he was rather familiar with), were one false step could jeopardise everything.

James was ready to call the whole thing quits and go back to third class, when he spotted Malfoy coming down the stairs. Instead of Lily on his arm, Petunia Dursley was roosted there instead. The two of them were talking rather stiffly to one another and they made it to the bottom of the staircase faster than he had thought imaginable.

Sighing resolutely, James stepped forward, intending to greet them.

They didn't stop. Malfoy didn't even look in his direction and Petunia glared down her nose at him as they glided right past him. James pulled back his extended hand quickly and stared incredulously at their retreating backs. Either he looked passable enough to fool Lucius Malfoy or that man simply did not have common courtesy.

Well, now that he had been snubbed, he had a perfectly acceptable reason to be a prat to Malfoy for the rest of the –

There was suddenly a tentative tap on his shoulder and an inquisitive voice asked, "James?"

Surprised, he turned and was met with a set of beautiful green eyes that he was all too familiar with. They were sparkling lightly with delight, reminding James of two jewels that were far too beautiful for their own good. Christ, he loved her eyes…

"How…How did you recognise me?" James asked slowly, finally coming to senses and tearing his eyes away from hers. "Everyone else just went right past me."

Lily giggled, a wonderful, melodious sound that filled James's ears.

"Despite that your obviously combed it, your hair stills sticks up funny in the back."

Speaking of hair…Hers was absolutely stunning tonight. She had only pinned half of it up and the rest cascaded gently down her back in long, red tresses. Two small curls remained free in the front, framing her angelic face immaculately. If she left her hair down all the time, James was sure he would go insane from wanting to run his hands through all of it.

"It is?" James replied and she nodded in response. "Bugger, I knew I missed something…"

He reached up to pat the offending strands of his hair down, though he knew it probably wouldn't help at all.

"Don't!" Lily exclaimed, grabbing his hand with her white gloved one. The silk was soft against his skin, reminding of the way her hand had felt when he had first held it. "Your hair…it looks better that way."

And _she_ looked better than he had ever seen her. Her dress flowed marvellously around her, complementing every aspect of her features. It was made of snowy white silk, studded with pearls and sparkling beads, and was complimented by the pearl hairclip she had in. She reminded him of the pictures he had seen of fairies – delicate, precious, and striking.

"You think so?" he said, lowering his hand with hers still tightly wrapped around it.

She nodded and something glittered on her neck. James glanced down briefly and started.

"What's _that_ around your neck?"

* * *

"O – Oh," Lily stuttered, placing her free hand over the offending object. The gem's coolness seeped through her silk gloves and a small shiver passed through her. "It's a necklace…Lucius gave it to me, as a wedding present."

God, how she hated wearing this _thing_…She already felt enough like a prize show horse the way it was without adding this gaudy trinket to the deal. If Lucius wanted to display his family's wealth, why couldn't _he_ wear the damn thing?

"A little soon for wedding presents, isn't it?" James asked in return, peering closely at the bits that weren't covered by her hand. A lock of hair fell across his forehead and he brushed it back with the rest irritably.

She could barely recognise him as the same windswept, scruffy James she had spent the last two days with. The suit he had acquired was immaculate, the fine Italian fabric pressed down with precision, and it hung off of him far too well. His hair was combed (except for the stubborn bit in the back, of course) and slicked away from his face, bringing out his high forehead and cheekbones a bit better. He was even holding himself differently, and if Lily hadn't known any better, she would've thought he belonged in the first class.

Though he looked better than many of her fellow passengers, wearing a suit just didn't become James and for some reason, it bothered her to see him trying to be someone other than himself.

"Well, if you ask me, _I_ think it looks like some fancy dog collar," he concluded at last. He let go of her hand and offered his elbow to her. "And how _ever_ did you walk down the stairs without overbalancing and falling down?"

She laughed, although James seemed genuinely concerned about the safety of wearing such a heavy necklace. She looped her arm through his, pleased to see that his personality hadn't been combed down as much as his hair, and he slowly led her over to Lucius and Petunia.

It felt strange, being on his arm instead of Lucius's, but it was a good strange, if there ever was such a thing. Lucius had a stiff, solid grip and was always tugging and pulling at her to hurry. James's grip, on the hand, was strong and he seemed to be trying to walk evenly with her. Also unlike her fiancé, he didn't try to show her off to every important person he saw.

Then again, Lily realised as she reached out to tap Lucius on the shoulder, she wasn't his to show off.

"Darling?" she asked in faked honeyed tones and felt him stiffen at her touch.

He turned and his cold eyes surveyed her with great distaste. He was still angry, though she wasn't surprised at that. They'd had another row after she had come out of her room dressed in the wrong colour and he had been absolutely furious at her refusal to change again. He'd silently fumed on the ride up on the lift, shooting her nasty glares whenever he thought she wasn't looking. Lily had ignored him then and was planning on continuing the row if he didn't start acting like an adult soon.

His eyes soon left her and swept over to James. A puzzled expression suddenly overtook his features as he looked over James and glanced at Petunia questioningly. Petunia gave a small shrug, wearing the same expression on her face.

"You remember Mr. Potter, don't you?" Lily continued, trying to keep the amusement out of her voice.

Lucius started in surprise and Petunia's eyes widened comically as she quickly did another once over James, combing for flaws.

"…Potter?" he repeated, sounding amazed. A fake smile crept onto his face as Petunia's contorted into a small sneer. "Well. You look quite a bit different from the last time I saw you…Why, you could almost pass as a gentleman now, couldn't you?"

"Almost," James replied lightly, apparently not all bothered by Lucius's barb.

"How extraordinary," Lucius muttered, his smile turning into a smirk as he turned back around, Petunia after following him.

Lily glared at the back of his head. Did he have to be rude to _everyone_ she liked?

"Why didn't you snap back at him?" she asked once Lucius was out of earshot. She glanced at James questioningly as they began descending the second flight of stairs.

"A sage man once told me that I had to pick my battles and not waste my life trying to defend every insult to my honour," James replied, waving at a couple coming up on the other side of the stairs. "I'm letting this one pass because it's not important."

"And what's an important battle?"

James paused and then looked at her. For the briefest moment, she saw herself reflected in his glasses.

"…When I figure that out, I'll tell you."

* * *

Soon they came to the bottom of Grand Staircase and continued on into the reception room. By the time he and Lily had arrived, Malfoy was already crowded by a swarm of persons, several of them James had never seen before. All of them were hanging on Malfoy's every word, so the talk must've been about something important. Though it didn't seem important enough for Sirius to get his arse over there and listen, because he and Regulus were not in the crowd and instead were watching the whole thing with identical sneers on their faces.

It must not have been important by Petunia's standards as well. She was nearby, chattering with three other women.

"Probably telling them about 'my' wedding plans," Lily murmured, noticing where his attention was focused. "Only thing she's been able to talk about throughout the entire voyage…"

Standing a bit further away from Petunia were Lacerta and Tom Riddle. Lacerta's arm was looped through Riddle's and she was observing all the activities in the reception room with her usual Black glare of disdain. Occasionally, she would whisper something to Riddle, who would nod in agreement.

James had never seen Riddle in person before, but he still found in strange that he wasn't including himself in any conversations, especially Malfoy's.

"Is there anyone we're eating dinner with that you think I should know?" he asked, looking around the reception room. _Everyone_ here was so elegant and refined…How could he possibly fit in here without making an arse of himself?

"Well, you know the Black family and Riddle, obviously….Ah, over there." Lily pointed to a couple near a set of ornate doors who were talking with a white haired man in an officer's uniform. "Those are the Astors, the richest passengers on the ship...They also, _coincidently_, happen to be some Malfoy family acquaintances. John Jacob Astor's wife, Madeline, is just a few years older than me and she's in a…_delicate_ condition, if you know what I mean."

James smirked in amusement as he noticed the round bulge in the front of Mrs. Astor's gown.

"The news caused _quite_ the scandal when it broke. They had to come over to Europe to avoid all the attention," Lily continued, sharing in his amusement. She glanced around the reception room and then gestured to a threesome standing over in the corner. "Over there we have Caledon Hockley, a Pittsburgh steel tycoon. Dreadful man and he's rather interested in you-know-what too."

James took a closer look at Hockley, mentally putting his name on the small list of Americans to keep a watch on. Perhaps he, Remus, and Sirius would have to move Order operations to Pittsburgh instead.

"With him is his fiancée, Rose Dewitt-Bukater and her mother, Ruth. Ruth is even more unpleasant than Petunia, if you can imagine, but Rose hasn't talked much during our past meals together…From what I've gather, she isn't too fond of Cal, but there's not much she can do about it. Marrying him for his money, you see…They think they're hiding it well, but nearly everyone knows the Dewitt-Bukaters are poorer than dirt – "

"As the dirt, I resent that comment," James stated lightly, grinning at her. "And for someone who complains endlessly about these people, you sure seem to love gossiping about them."

"It's… a habit," Lily muttered sheepishly, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. "Besides, you better get used to it…Within a half and hour, you'll know everything scandalous that's occurred during the day and then we'll move onto some more meaningful conversation such as stocks or where Lucius possibly could've acquired a necklace – " she placed a hand over her necklace dramatically. " – as _magnificent_ as this one."

"_Wonderful_."

Out of nowhere, Malfoy and Petunia (without their entourage) suddenly appeared in his line of vision. Petunia looked him over _again_ and sniffed, haughtily throwing her nose up in the air.

"We're going to the table," Malfoy stated evenly, not even bothering to grace him with a arrogant glance as he led Petunia past. "Follow, Lily."

Lily rolled her eyes at the back of his head, but they fell into step behind the two others anyway. Malfoy led to them through the ornate doors that the Astors had been standing by earlier and as they entered the dinning saloon, James was suddenly feeling quite nervous.

He had been slightly nervous before, when they had been in the foyer, but now that he had officially stepped into this world, the feeling had increased ten-fold. Bejewelled women, proper men, and perfect etiquette surrounded him from all sides, unconsciously impressing the need to fit in with them onto him.

Orchestra music and the gentle tinkle of expensive china could be heard under the hundreds of conversations quietly taking place at each table and James could barely catch snatches of conversation as they passed. This was _nothing_ like the energetic and rowdy dinners in the third class that he had become used to. How was he ever going to survive tonight without accidentally shouting or getting in a fight over the last dinner roll with someone?

"You'll be fine…Just be yourself," Lily whispered encouragingly, sensing his nervousness. Ahead of them, Malfoy and Petunia veered off the main walkway and stopped at a large table. "They won't be expecting that."

She smiled at him warmly and he felt the anxiety that had been coiling inside of him loosen just a bit. He'd be just fine if Lily kept sending those smiles his way…

The table Malfoy had chosen was set for twelve and most of them were already claimed. Lily – with a reassuring squeeze on his arm – left his side and went to the other side of the table to greet Mrs. Astor.

James awkwardly stood at the head of the table, watching the interactions between the rest of the dinner group carefully before Sirius caught his eye and discreetly made a motion for James to sit in the empty seat beside him. James nearly sighed in relief and made his way over, thankful that Sirius had rescued him once again from embarrassment.

"Potter," Sirius spat acidly, extending a hand in formality as James approached.

"Black," he replied with just as much venom. He took Sirius's hand but dropped it almost instantly. He caught a gleam of amusement in his friend's eye and his nervousness faded just a bit more.

Lily was right. He may've needed to look like these people, but there was no need to act them. He would enjoy himself more as James the Steerage Rat than James the Snooty First Class Passenger anyway…

"Pardon me, but I don't believe I've ever met you before," a cool, crisp voice suddenly exclaimed from behind. "What's your name?"

James noticed Sirius's warning glance just as he was turning around. Behind him was none other than Tom Riddle.

Riddle was simply staring at him curiously, but James immediately saw what was so dangerous about him. Riddle was a tall and handsome man, almost giving the impression of friendly, father-like figure, but his eyes the kind that gave you an ill feeling if you stared into them too long. He had an aura of confidence and power that was far more alluring than the other first class men and could catch an unsuspecting person off guard. He could easily be a likeable man if James didn't already know what lurked beneath the surface.

"James Potter," he answered, sticking out his hand. Riddle took it without hesitation, surprising James.

"Potter, Potter…Oh yes! _You're_ that steerage lad who saved Miss Evans!" Riddle glanced over at Lily and James followed his gaze. She was sitting now, having chosen the chair right across from him, and was talking to the younger Dewitt-Bukater girl. "Good thing as well. Old Lucius would've absolutely been devastated if he'd lost her…She means the world to him."

"Oh…Well, it was nothing really," James murmured modestly, a strange, sinking feeling filling him as he watched Lily. As Rose turned away, she glanced at him and smiled. He suddenly couldn't find it in him to return her smile. "I – I was just in the right place at the right time."

"Yes, but it was more than any of us at this table could've done. You're a brave fellow, James Potter."

"Thank you, sir," James replied, well aware that he had just accepted a compliment from Riddle and didn't feel at all guilty about it.

"Please. Call me Tom," Riddle stated, letting go of his hand and giving him an encouraging pat on the shoulder. "Now, if you'll excuse me."

Riddle gave him on last pat, then turned back around, and hurried over to the other side of the table to help Lacerta into her seat.

James also turned back around and slowly sank down into his chair. Riddle had been _nice_ to _him_, the very sort of person he was trying to degrade and stomp on. Could Dumbledore have been wrong about Riddle's status in the lot? Surely –

"Don't let him fool you," Sirius muttered, sitting down beside him. James glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. "He may not act like it, but he's as evil as Dumbledore says he is."

James looked at Riddle again. He was laughing jovially with that Hockley fellow and nothing about him hinted of any darkness. But as he began walking back over to his seat, James caught his eye and noticed a dark, burning emotion submerged within them that chilled him to the core.

If he wasn't mistaken, that emotion was revulsion.

* * *

Thanks for reading and please review. Have a Merry Christmas (or Winter Holiday, if you want to be politically correct) and see you in 2005. 


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Author's Notes:** Surprise! I bet you didn't think this chapter would be coming out anytime soon! As it turns out, my family decided not to go visit my relatives for the whole of Christmas vacation, and thus, I got more time to complete this chapter. There must be _something_ inspiring about Christmas because I've been writing _insanely_ since I got away from school. Plus, I got _Titanic_ on DVD for Christmas, so that helps when I'm stuck for ideas. :)

Thanks once again to my tremendous beta AmethystPhoenix, who didn't procrastinate one bit.

**Bohemian Pirate**: Do you know how much I absolutely _adore_ your reviews? You always bring a grin to my face and make me feel all giddy inside for the rest of the day!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter or James Cameron's _Titanic_.

**Chapter Eleven**

_7:00 PM_

As much as Lucius loathed admitting it, James Potter was not a person that he could just insult and then ignore throughout the rest of dinner. The rat had already unbalanced him once (_where _had he acquired a suit on such short notice?) tonight and was probably ready to do so again. But Potter wouldn't have the upper hand for long…one did not start a game with Lucius Malfoy and get away with it scot-free.

Gently, he tapped a spoon against his wine glass, creating a sharp _ting_ that quieted the whole table and drew all eyes to him.

"As I'm sure you may have noticed," Lucius began formally. He set the spoon back into its proper place and fixed Potter with a hard stare. If he wanted to play games, they'd play games. "We have a guest joining us tonight."

All attention turned away from him and focused on Potter, who – to Lucius's deep disappointment – didn't look at all as uncomfortable as he should've been.

"James Potter is joining us from the third class tonight as my treat. He was of some service to my fiancée on Wednesday night."

"Some service?" Cal Hockley repeated sceptically, picking up his champagne glass and swirling the contents around. "What did he do, return a lost shoe?"

Several people chuckled, Lucius included. Beside him, Lily glared at Cal and opened her mouth to say something in Potter's defence. Lucius grabbed her wrist under the table and gave it a hard, warning squeeze, and her mouth clamped shut.

"Actually, Mr. Hockley," Potter replied, picking a piece of dirt off his suit and casually flicking it into Black's champagne glass. "I saved her life, if you consider that a service."

Murmurs rose up amongst the occupants of the table, most of indignation at Potter's rudeness toward Cal rather than in interest of his tale.

"And how would one go about saving a life on the safest ship sailing the ocean?" Cal persisted, sending a hostile glance down the table at Potter.

The mentioned was examining a salad fork with great interest, much to the amusement of Lucius and to the disgust of Petunia and Lacerta. Perhaps the rat would provide some entertainment without his prodding after all.

"While I'm sure _Titanic_ is safe against the elements, it obviously can't do much against a passenger's dangerous curiosity, can it now?" Potter answered, setting the fork down and looking across the table, at Lily. He arched a black eyebrow and continued, "Correct, Miss Evans?"

Eyes turned from Potter and onto Lily. She calmly took a small sip of her champagne, ignoring the curious glances. Lucius stared. This calm, mature behaviour was _most_ unlike her…

"Indeed…You see," she explained lightly, favouring them all with vapid smile. "I'd heard so much about those giant propellers that I wanted to catch a glimpse of them myself. So after dinner on Wednesday, I went out to the stern to try and see them. I leaned over the rail, but I could only see the hull, so I stepped up onto it. Ja – I mean, Mr. Potter, was nearby, smoking – "

Lucius narrowed his eyes at her. Had she almost called Potter by his first name?

"I caught sight of her climbing the rail, so I tried to warn her that it was unsafe. She told me to mind my own business and she'd be just fine," Potter interrupted. He rolled his eyes, causing a few people to laugh, Lily included. "Well, the next thing I know she's screaming and I barely caught a hold of her before she slipped all the way overboard."

Lucius's suspicions grew as Lily picked up from where Potter had left off. If he didn't know any better, he would say that she and Potter had _rehearsed_ this conversation. But that was preposterous. Lily had been with Petunia the entire day; Severus had even confirmed that fact. And there was no way that Petunia would let her sister consort with a steerage rat.

"…Mr. Potter almost went overboard himself, but he managed to pull me back over the rail," Lily finished, sending a glowing look toward Potter. "I owe him far more than a simple dinner."

"Oh, how _very_ heroic," Petunia stated icily. Her lips were pursed and her eyes had narrowed into little slits, as they had been the moment she had caught sight of Potter tonight. Her expression alone seemed to unnerve Potter more than anything thus far. "Tell me, Mr. Potter. Does the part of a hero come naturally to you or does it only come out when there's something in it for you?"

Lily glared at Petunia, but the latter simply smirked in a satisfied way, taking a slow sip from her champagne.

Waiters appeared with a trolley of plates at the table a moment later. There was a flourish of moment as everyone took their napkins off their plates and laid them on their laps. Potter watched them, confused, until Black elbowed him and surreptitiously motioned for him to follow the example.

"I'm afraid I don't understand what you're suggesting, Mrs. Dursley," Potter replied after the movement had died down. He forced a pleasant smile onto his face and then eyed the plate the waiter has just set down in front of him critically.

"This is foie gras, Potter. Goose liver," Lucius stated evenly, trying to play the part of a gracious host and put his guest down as much as possible at the same time. "And you'll take your caviar with just a soupcon of lemon. It improves the taste."

"Actually, I don't want any caviar," Potter replied defiantly, waving off the waiter that tried to spoon some onto one of his side plates.

More whispers arose on the table. J.J. Astor whispered something to Cal, who nodded in agreement and fixed Potter with another haughty glare. Lacerta leaned over to Tom and muttered (loud enough for Potter to hear, of course), "What exactly is Lucius trying to prove, inviting this…_beast_ to ruin dinner?

Potter's confidence seemed to be wavering as the whispers continued and beside him, Lily had shrunk back in her chair, nowhere near as confident or bold as she had been at the start of dinner. Lucius smirked smugly; there was no question about who was winning this game now.

"Oh, Potter's always been a hero," Regulus stated, bringing the conversation back onto it's previous path. "He was a _Gryffindor_, after all."

"You attended Hogwarts?" Tom asked quickly, looking at Potter in surprise.

"Same year and house as I," Black responded, picking delicately at his course. "I nearly got expelled every year because of him."

"If I remember correctly, it was nearly every month," Potter commented, taking his first drink of champagne. He emptied half the glass in nearly one gulp and set it back down. The only people who didn't seem at all bothered by this show were Lily and Black.

"That's right. You _were_ a Gryffindor, weren't you?" Tom continued, staring levelly at Black and betraying no emotion. "How is it that generations upon generations of your family were in Slytherin and you somehow managed to get sorted into _Gryffindor_?"

Black shrugged carelessly as he ate a piece of foie gras and began on his caviar to avoid answering the question directly. Tom's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.

"Did you have a scholarship?" J.J. Astor asked, directing his attention to Potter. "Hogwarts's tuition is rather high, after all, not to mention the books and supplies you would need each year…I hope I'm not being offensive, but I don't see how you would be able to pay for an education."

"I managed," Potter replied evasively. "I had second hand books each year and I helped out around the castle during the summer holidays to help pay for everything that the scholarships didn't cover. I still owe Dumbledore quite a bit, however."

"And what career did you decide to go into with your Hogwarts education?" Lacerta questioned, raising a perfect eyebrow in mock interest.

"Actually, I haven't decided yet."

Lucius couldn't believe what he was hearing and from the angry murmurs of his fellow Brits, he wasn't alone in his thoughts. This unworthy vermin had an education from the best school England could offer and he wasn't going to do _anything_ with it? Further proof that the lower classes were otherwise worthless to society…

"That is, I still think it's a bit early for me to settle down with a permanent position," Potter persisted, raising his voice to talk over the murmurs. "I'm only twenty and I have the whole rest life to find a career and work…Why not spend a few years enjoying myself and living the life _I_ want before I get condemned to a factory?" He motioned for the waiter to bring him some more champagne. "How many other working blokes my age can say that they've been to Egypt or spent time in South America with some mad missionaries? How many can say that they've travelled outside of _England_?

"I want to have a life I can boast about and if I can achieve that before I get settled down, then I'll be a happy man…I want to be able to tell my children that I've actually done something with my life; that I travelled on the maiden voyage of the _Titanic_ and I somehow managed to dine with you fine people while doing so." He raised his glass in a solitary toast to everyone at the table. "I don't think _anyone_ wants to look back on their life and wish they'd worked more…All I'm trying to do is to make the most out of every moment I have."

Potter finished his heartfelt speech by biting a large chunk out of the dinner roll that had been clenched in his hand for quite some time.

"To life," Lily said suddenly, breaking the unexpected silence. She raised her glass, meaning to make a toast.

Lucius started and sneered at her in amusement. Did she really believe that they would toast to –

But glasses were being raised around the table, their holders looking quite moved by Potter's speech. Even _Tom_ was holding his glass high, a look of appreciation on his face. What on _earth_ was going on here?

Begrudgingly, as Lucius raised his glass to toast, he realised that Potter had once again moved ahead in their little game.

* * *

Sirius seriously hoped that Malfoy was through trying to make James out as an idiot. It was hard enough trying to pretend he hated James without adding the natural instinct to defend his friend's honour into the mess. It was a good thing they had stopped talking about Hogwarts when they had; Riddle's suspicions might've been aroused more if the conversations had continued further. 

Riddle had emotions like a snake, hiding in the grass and waiting for the opportune moment to strike. At the reminder of Sirius being a former Gryffindor, the snake had reared, but then settled back into its hiding place almost immediately, waiting for a better time to make it's move.

Sirius had been ready for these sorts of attacks all evening. He'd known that this dinner would be a test of his 'loyalties' to Death Eaters and he had to pass with flying colours, otherwise the results were not worth picturing (as it usually involved the loss of a _very_ important limb).

James, however, didn't seem too concerned with making Sirius's night any easier or defending his honour himself. He was currently busy violently stabbing his salmon with his salad fork and ignoring the shocked looks that this act of idiocy was causing.

No one decided to comment on it, however. After James's toast, everyone had been surprisingly civil toward him and they had even changed the topic out of courtesy. Only _after_ everyone had gushed over Lily's fine necklace, of course.

Sirius didn't think the necklace was all that flattering and he _certainly_ didn't see what was so great about wearing a fancy dog collar around your neck for hours on an end. Lily hadn't thought it was too fantastic either – she and James had shared a little grimace after the compliment session had been over and she had been constantly readjusting the necklace throughout the courses, trying to relieve the weight on her chest.

The topic then moved to something that James (and Sirius, come to think of it) couldn't participate in, like the inner workings of the United States Senate or fluctuating stock prices. Sirius had often tried to look interested in these conversations, but ended up being ignored halfway through because he'd said something stupid. James hadn't even said _anything_ (except a few smart arse remarks here and there) and he was still being neglected, except when someone decided to send him a sharp frown.

Sirius ignored the urge to put himself out of his misery. This hell was nothing compared to that of the _wedding_ conversations. A shudder went through him at the very thought and he reached for his drink. He'd rather not be sober if he had to listen to the _horror_ tale that was Rose Dewitt-Bukater's wedding plans again.

* * *

James believed Sirius was going the right way about things. Since they had finished their salmon and two other courses, his friend had consumed at least four glasses of champagne. He was now motioning for the waiter to pour him a fifth glass to go down with his dessert. James had only had two glasses himself, but he was seriously considering adding onto that amount very quickly if dinner did not end _right now_. 

It was no wonder Lily had been so starved for a conversation that she had resorted to talking to Sigrid earlier today. Everything this group talked about pertained to themselves, their riches, or others like them. The conversations went in endless circles and had no meaning to them. Who actually _wanted_ to hear about the Dewitt-Bukater's troubles with wedding stationary?

_Certainly_ not James – he'd take a half-English conversation with Sigrid over this any day.

Currently, the table had broken into two separate conversations. Malfoy and Riddle were leading a discussion of politics with Regulus and the Hockley gent, while Petunia and Ruth were busy comparing problems concerning the aforementioned weddings. James was being conveniently excluded from both these conversations (as he had been since his toast), but he didn't mind at all.

When Sirius wasn't busy getting himself drunk, he would hop between the two conversations, making snide comments about a certain politician or murmuring with sympathy when Petunia complained about something. James personally thought it was rather entertaining, but as the table hadn't taken kindly to his last few comments, he wasn't going to say anything.

Across the table, Lily was delicately tracing patterns around her champagne glass and watching the women's conversation with a look of utter boredom on her face. She paused for a moment to brush a stray piece of tantalizing hair away from her face and then resumed her tracing.

She hadn't said much during dinner, which had surprised him to no end. She always had something to say to him, always spoke her mind when they hit on a certain subject. The stunning, confident girl he'd come to know had transformed into a timid mouse within a space of two hours. Did these people and this setting affect her that much? Or was it perhaps one person that caused the change in her?

His eyes turned away from Lily and settled on the man sitting next to her. The two had been rather frigid toward one another tonight (then again, from what Lily said, they were always less than warm towards each other) and Malfoy had acted as though she hadn't existed for the majority of the dinner, ignoring her like a parent would do with a spoilt child. When he did speak to her, it was in hushed, angry tones and Lily would shrink away uncomfortably, not making any eye contact.

James hadn't been fond of Malfoy at the start of dinner, but now he absolutely detested the man. He had the most wonderful, desirable woman in his clutches, yet he treated her worse than dirt. He tried to adorn her with jewels to make her look beautiful, but all it did was make her seem like a display case to show off his money and influence. He stomped on her personality and crushed her spirit under the heel of his high-quality shoes, trying to mould her into the society woman she obviously wasn't,

Lily was stuck in a patch of thorns and weeds that wouldn't let her grow into the person she was meant to be. The biggest weed of the all was blocking everything she needed to live and was slowly killing her in a way she had only just recognised…

She glanced at him suddenly and smiled in such an adoring way that made his heart ache for the briefest of moments. He returned the grin half-heartedly and looked down at his empty dessert plate.

If things kept progressing the way the were, Lily wouldn't be the only one who was dying a slow death.

* * *

"Enjoying yourself at all?" 

James dropped the spoon he had been examining with more fascination than he'd had for any of the table's previous conversations. He looked at her, grinned guiltily, and then looked sharply at Lucius, as if he had caught this small exchange.

Lucius wasn't paying attention to either of them. He was currently engaged in a very heated argument and was paying no attention to either of them. Lily, of course, had been aware of this for quite a while as it was a normal happening at dinner. Once Lucius got fired up, he ignored her except for the occasional reprimand.

"Are we about finished?" James asked, his voice so soft that she could barely catch it.

"Getting tired of being ignored, are you?" she responded playfully. He shot another glance at Lucius before rolling his eyes and nodding. "Exactly how I feel every night…But we'll be finished in a few more minutes…have to wait for their cigars and brandy to be rolled out."

"Good. I don't think I could stand to eat another thing…" James said, louder this time as he realised that Lucius wasn't listening to them. "Why must it take _nine_ courses for your people to finish stuffing your faces?"

Lily snorted into her champagne glass and Rose turned and fixed her with an incredulous stare. She composed herself quickly and gave a quick smile to Rose, who turned back to her conversation with an emotionless expression on her face. Lily stared at the other redhead for a moment longer, recognising that expression as the one she had seen in the mirror a few days ago, before she had met James…

Shaking it off as coincidence and hoping that Rose wouldn't try anything stupid at the same time, Lily hesitantly looked back to James. That lop-sided grin was on his face again and she glared at him.

"Do you think it's funny to make me look like an absolute idiot?"

He shrugged carelessly and swept a piece of stray hair out of his eyes. Over the course of dinner, his hair had gone from nicely patted down back to its normal frenzied mess. James had tried to slick it back at first, but after Sirius had nudged him painfully in the ribs did he take his comb out of his water glass and stick it back in his pocket. Luckily, only Lacerta and Petunia had noticed this display, and had practically gagged when James (noticing their uncomplimentary staring) took a drink of that same water glass a few minutes later.

His hair still looked a bit tamer than usual, probably because he hadn't ruffled it up at all. She had noticed before that he had an awfully bad habit of doing it when he was annoyed and his nose scrunched up in that endearing way or when he laughed and his smile spread straight to his eyes…

"Did you really do all those things you said you did?"

Lily placed an elbow on the table and propped her chin on her hand, staring at James in interest.

"What? About Egypt and the missionaries?" James asked.

She nodded.

"Sure I did, and I saw a lot more than that too," James began, leaning back into his chair languidly. Lily envied him instantly; _he_ didn't have to sit the whole dinner with a straight back and perfect posture. "You see, after I graduated, I basically played servant to this mad old Brit for about a year…He'd heard from Dumbledore that I was 'quite the young man' and hired me to come work at his manor in New York for as long as I wanted. I ran errands, turned away guests, cleaned, and did all sorts of things for about a month when he decides that – "

" – he wants to see the world before he dies," Sirius finished, rolling his eyes. "Lord, I've heard this so many times I could recite it by memory."

"How can you recite the story by memory if you're always half-drunk when I tell it?" James responded instantly, poking Sirius in the side in an exasperated way. For a moment, Lily could see their old friendship lurking on the surface. "Anyway, so he decides to get up and go visit all these exotic places one day and says that I have to come with him. I couldn't refuse an offer like that (plus, he doubled my pay) and I went with him to all sorts of places like China and India. Then we get to South America and the trouble starts – "

"This is where the story actually gets entertaining," Sirius muttered, taking a drink of his water glass.

"My employer catches some strange disease in the jungle and he needs to be carted back to someplace civilised immediately. The missionaries who we were camping with got him to a steamer, but it was a small thing and they didn't have room for me on board at all. Now when I think about it, they were probably lying, yet I got left behind in the jungle all the same."

"_You're_ the one who's lying. They couldn't have left you!" Lily exclaimed, staring at James captivated.

"Oh, but they did!" Sirius cackled softly, a look of delight on his face. "He had to spend two months in the mud and rain, eating nothing but bread and stuff they got from natives while those missionaries tried to convert him and made him read the Bible daily."

"I would've died if that steamer hadn't come back when it did," James finished, lowering his voice as Petunia glanced down the table. He gave her a small smile and she look away instantly, her nose wrinkled in distaste. "But when I got back to England, I found out that my employer had forgotten all about me and had gone back to New York without even bothering to find out if I was all right. The old bastard even forgot to pay me for the last few months, but I suppose that's because _someone _– " he shot Sirius a dark look, " – told him I was dead."

"Well what was I supposed to say when he came around asking about you? You never wrote, so I had to assume the worst had occurred and you had been eaten by a giant reptile."

"Were you ever bothered by the fact that I was possibly in the belly of a giant reptile half-way across the world?"

"Not in the slightest," Sirius returned airily, reaching for his champagne glass again.

Earlier today, Remus had told Lily that when James and Sirius had been friends, they were as close as brothers and nearly inseparable. Lily couldn't have imagined Sirius being that close with anyone (herself included), but when this conversation had arisen and it was an eye-opener. She'd never seen Sirius act this calm or so casually with anyone before, and James, too, acted differently around Sirius than he did with her or even Remus. They were just so…_comfortable_ around each other.

"See what a _good_ friend he was to me?" James spat bitterly, glaring at Sirius suddenly. The other shrugged callously and turned away from James, his relapse obviously over with now. James's glare transformed back into that _insufferable _grin of his as he glanced back at her.

"At least Remus had the decency to buy me a cold drink after I got back."

* * *

The other two conversations had come to a close and the waiters had started bringing out carts with boxes of cigars on them soon after James's tale had finished, signalling the end of the dinner from hell. It was just as well; he and Sirius had slipped up so many times during that story – it was a wonder no one over heard them except Regulus, but he had heard this story almost as many times as Sirius had and was of no concern. 

Riddle, who had sat next to James the entire dinner, might've heard _something_, but he had been eyeing Sirius all night long for one thing or another anyway. Hopefully, he had seen all the champagne Sirius had consumed and would just blame it on the alcohol.

Speaking of the devil…

"Gentlemen, " Riddle stated, rising from his chair as. A lighted cigar was in one hand and an extra was stuffed away in his suit's breast pocket. "Would you give me the pleasure of joining me for a brandy in the smoking room?"

Lily smirked at James from across the table.

"He gives this speech every night," she whispered conspiratorially. "Gives them all another two hours to gloat about their glory again."

James returned her smirk as he rose from his chair. Riddle turned and pounced on him instantly.

"Ah, will you be joining us, Potter?"

"No thanks. I think I've intruded on your night enough the way it is."

Riddle nodded in agreement and held out a hand again. "Good to have met you."

James crossed his fingers behind his back as he shook Riddle's hand.

"You as well."

With one last small smile (which looked more like a grimace now), Riddle turned and headed off with Sirius trailing behind him, looking slightly tipsy. James bit his lip, hoping that his friend had enough sense not to drink any more alcohol tonight.

He turned back to the table, nearly empty of men now. J.J. Astor gave James a small smile as he passed, his wife on his arm. Regulus remained, dutifully staying to escort his mother back to the stateroom when she felt like retiring. Hockley was saying something to his fiancée (who'd done _nothing_ but stare listlessly at the table throughout dinner) and she nodded mechanically in return, rising from her chair and walking away from the table.

Left now was only Malfoy.

He was standing by Lily, his hand on her shoulder. He'd asked her something and she'd replied, shaking her head negatively. He frowned and bent closer, whispering in her ear as the hand on her shoulder tightened to the point that Lily's began to turn white with pain.

James's blood boiled, his heart pounding in his ears. He wanted to hurt Malfoy _now_, to strike him down to the elegantly carpeted floor and –

"OW!" James cried as someone rammed into him as they passed.

That someone – _of bloody course_ – was Snape.

"Oh. Potter," he said, turning around and sneering. His black eyes raked over James's outfit and sparked with a sudden amusement. "I didn't see you."

"Right," James muttered crossly, brushing off the shoulder Snape had touched. Even if Regulus had been an utter, utter prat to him, he didn't deserve to have Snape concentrate on his dinner jacket. "Why don't you just run off and go baby-sit ickle Lucius now?"

Snape flushed slightly, but his cold eyes remained fixed on James's, the amusement having turned into something darker.

"Don't you think it's funny, Potter, that you _still _don't matter whether you're dressed well or not?" he asked, his eyes flickering briefly across the table.

James said nothing as Snape, a triumphant smirk on his face, walked away. There was nothing to be said. After all, it was the truth…

Lucius had gone now, not even bothering to say goodbye to him (like James honestly cared), and Lily was left alone, watching him expectantly. He felt strangely disheartened as he walked around the table toward her and took her hand in his. He'd never allowed Snape to make him feel this way before…

What was wrong with him?

"Must you leave, James?" Lily asked, using his name freely for the first time tonight. It sounded wonderful coming from her with nothing but compassion lacing her tones.

"I'll be missed in the rodent nest if I don't return soon," he replied, his tone soft. Petunia was watching them carefully from her corner of the table and Regulus's piercing eyes were bored into the back of his skull as he bent down and placed a parting kiss on her hand. "D'you think we can meet tomorrow at all?"

"I'll try," she whispered, smiling. "Goodnight, James."

"Goodnight."

Reluctantly, he let go of her hand and walked away from the table. At the dining saloon doors, he paused and turned around, impossibly trying to catch a last glimpse of her in the sea of silk and jewels of the room.

* * *

It was just the four of them now. 

Astor had been called away by his fellow Americans after the first drink and a steward had come to get Hockley about fifteen minutes later with a matter concerning his fiancée. A few other men had come over to say their hellos, but had left rather hastily after he'd given them a warning glare. This matter with Black had to be resolved _now_ and no two-bit American bank owner was going to be interrupting them.

The spoken was currently occupied in a stare-off with Severus, who was leaning against the mantle of the fireplace, almost hidden in the shadows. He was unusually emotional tonight because he'd been waiting most of the day to tell Lucius something important about Evans and was annoyed by… thatBlackbloodyegotisticalbastardatthistable_again_whycan'thejustgothrowhimselfoffthebackoftheship –

Tom tapped the surface of the table for attention.

Lucius, who had been very morose since the end of dinner (because Potter had been a bit more formidable than he had imagined), looked at him immediately and Black tore his eyes away from Severus, a snarl on his features.

This Black boy was quite a bit more difficult to read than his brother. He could read Regulus like a children's book, but Sirius Black was like a foreign manuscript. Sometimes, he could translate a line or two, but otherwise it was nearly impossible to tell what was going on inside this boy's head. He made it so difficult at times that it gave Tom a headache just trying to get past the first layer. There were only two other people that were usually that good at hiding their emotions; one was hovering behind Lucius and the other was most likely pacing the floor of his study at his school.

"Sirius, I believe there are some matters – concerning you – that need a bit of clearing up," Tom said at last, focusing on Black's eyes. He was a bit easier to read tonight – probably because of all the champagne he had consumed at dinner.

"Potter, I suppose?" Black asked wearily, reaching for the glass of water one of the stewards had brought him. He was dreading this…_had been_ dreading it all night long. "Well, we _were_ friends up until recently…Dumbledore supporter, he is. Was furious with me when I told him I was switching sides. Didn't understand…"

He's_going_tobefuriouswithmeaftertonightwon'tunderstandit'sforhisowngood –

"It seemed like you and he were _still_ friends tonight at dinner…" Lucius muttered, staring at Black. "You let him borrow one of your suits."

Idon'ttrusthimwhyhasTomlethimcomethisfarinthecircleweshouldhavenever –

"Potter and I are _not_ friends!" Black hissed, slamming his glass back onto the table. "I owed him a favour, that's all."

"Prove it," Severus suggested from the shadows, his face twisting maliciously.

Idon'tbelievethosetwoidiotswouldeverstopbeingfriendshe'dneverbetrayPotter –

"How am I supposed to prove it? Smother him while he's sleeping?" Black replied scathingly, fixing his gaze on Severus.

Lucius sat straighter in his chair and his fists clenched around the armrests. Old Lucius was almost as easy to read as Regulus – he was stewing about Evans, as he usually was, and wanted to know…tellmeshewaswithPottertodayyouimbeciletellmeshewasn'twithhersisterTELLME –

"You know about Lily and him," Lucius commanded tightly, his sight set on Black. "You know something, he _had_ to tell you – "

Tom could have told him everything, but he decided to let Black do the enlightening instead. Lucius was not going to like what he was going to hear, but that's what he got for not listening in the first place. Tom had warned him about Evans and now he was going to get his comeuppance.

"Fine…_fine_," Black breathed, his nostrils flaring in annoyance. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair as Lucius's knuckles started to turn white. "For starters, she's got a very bad habit of lying to you. She didn't spend the day with her sister like _wonderful_ Severus over here told you –"

"I couldn't locate her in the time you wanted and I didn't want to upset you, Lucius," Severus responded quickly, noticing the murderous look on his employer's face.

"Didn't want to _upset_ me?" Lucius repeated, his voice dangerously low. He looked ready to continue on into a rant but Tom sent a warning glance his way and he restrained himself. "…Continue, Sirius."

"She was with Potter the whole day; eating breakfast down in the steerage dining room, associating with all of them," Black revealed, an unreadable expression on his face. "They even found time to go for an afternoon swim in the swimming bath as well."

"I found a steward who'd come across them…Said they were lying on the floor and he was leaning over her." Severus added, trying to prove that he wasn't as useless as Lucius believed he was now.

"He likes her – maybe even loves her, if that's possible."

Lucius rose from his chair before Black had even finished, his form quaking with fury and his face set with rage. Tom didn't even bother to tell him to sit back down; he didn't like Evans and he could honestly care less what Lucius did about her latest bout of disobedience.

"I'm going to go have a little _chat_ with my fiancée," he growled as he marched away from the table, Severus quickly following after him.

ThatlittlebitchneedstobetaughtalessonI'mgoingtokillhershe'smygoddamnfiancéeandI'mgoingtokillhersheneedstostart  
actinglikeitI'MGOINGTOKILLHER –

Black stared after the two, his face an unearthly shade of white.

ForhisowngoodSiriusforhisowngoodFORHISOWNGOODohbloodyhellIneedabrandy.

Tom shook his head and signalled a waiter over.

* * *

Lily took the last of the pins out, liberating the rest of her hair and she shook her head, trying to get the strands back into place. She set her hairpins on the vanity counter and reached for her brush. She picked it up and then paused, examining her right hand carefully. It still prickled where James had kissed it – _twice_ – today. 

"James…" she murmured and set the brush back down on the counter. She ran a hand through her hair, imagining that it was his hands instead.

She couldn't get him out of her head. Whenever she closed her eyes, he was there, that lop-sided grin on his face. Whenever someone touched her, it felt like his hands on her skin, caressing like they had in the swimming bath. Instead of Lucius's cold eyes staring at from the doorway, it was –

Lily whirled around, but he was already halfway across the room. He hadn't changed out of his dinner things quite yet and his cheeks were flushed as though he had just finished having a run.

"L – Lucius?" she asked, rising slowly from her chair. He moved closer and the light cast a menacing shadow on his face…or was it _just_ the shadow? "I – Is there something wrong?"

"_Wrong?_"

Oh, God, he was _angry _– not angry, _furious_ –

She stumbled backwards in a panic, but he closed the distance between them too fast –

"_OF COURSE THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG!_"

He slapped her hard across the face and she hit the wall, crying out as a sharp pain ran through her, but he wasn't finished – he grabbed her by the shoulders and slammed her into the oak panelling; her head hit hardest and she saw stars, her head filling with pain.

Lucius's grip on her shoulders was agony as it tightened and she cried in terror, closing her eyes to hold back the tears of pain. This wasn't happening, he wasn't – _what_ had she done? What was he going with her? He wouldn't, he couldn't –

"So," he hissed, his voice deadly and she could just imagine the wild, horrifying look on his face. "So, _Lily_…How is it that you'll let a steerage man try and _kiss_ you, but you won't let your own fiancé even _touch_ you?"

Shock overcoming her terror momentarily and her trembling increased. He knew, oh Christ, he _knew_ – how could he, how could he –

"_Look at me as I talk to you_!" he ordered, grabbing her chin and wrenching in forward. Her eyes snapped open and were met with two orbs glowing with the coldest fury she had ever seen. "You are _never_ to see James Potter again! Do you understand me?"

"L – Let go, Lucius! You're –"

His grip on her chin tightened, pinching the skin and she cried out again, tears spilling down her cheeks. The ferocity in his eyes seemed to only increase at the sight of her tears.

"I said, _do you understand me_?"

She nodded slowly, not trusting herself to speak without crying out again. Please make him go away, let him be satisfied, don't let him try again –

Roughly, he let go of her and backed away. She slumped against the wall, gently placing a hand on her stinging cheek, and glanced at him fearfully.

He didn't look any less angry when he had come in and his usual indifferent composure had disappeared. His hair was falling out its tie, his cheeks were flushed red, and his suit no longer immaculate.

He raised a hand again, and she shrunk back, awaiting the next blow –

"If I _ever_ catch you with him again…" he warned in a deadly tone, pointing a quivering finger at her.

He let the threat hang, having trouble finding the right words to express his rage. But he didn't have to finish it– and he didn't as he strode out of the room, banging the door behind him a moment later.

He didn't have to finish because she knew what would happen if she disobeyed this command and it would be far worse than a stinging slap or a bruised shoulder.

* * *

**NOTE:** From this chapter onwards, the story is back on the movie timeline. This is the night where Jack and Rose meet. The next date…well, you'll find out, won't you? 

Thanks for reading, please review, and see you in 2005!


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Author's notes:** So sorry for the long wait for this chapter! I had it finished three weeks ago, but I just got it back from my beta. I hope none of you died on me (especially **bohemian pirate**, who I must thank for being my hundredth reviewer) on that wait. Chapter 13 won't take nearly this long to post; I've nearly (as in, there's one scene left to finish, nearly) got it finished.

I also wrote a Lily/James one shot called On The Ice while I was writing this chapter. It's set in the regular timeline and since there's not much L/J action in this chapter, you can get your fix through that fic if you'd like. Thanks for reading and reviewing, and please enjoy this long chapter!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Harry Potter or James Cameron's _Titanic_.

**Chapter Twelve**

_April 13th, 1912_

_9:45 AM_

_R.M.S. Titanic_

The general room was abuzz this morning. It was no louder and no less rowdy than it normally was, but there was an unspoken excitement among many of the passengers that caused it to seem different than usual. For instance, quite a few of the more unpleasant characters seemed to be in a more sociable mood and the children were less wild, as Remus had yet to trip over one walking in the doorway.

Remus hadn't the faintest clue as to why the sudden change had come. They weren't supposed to be docking for at least another four days and the breakfast this morning hadn't been _that_ great…Still, _something_ had gotten everyone excited and he was planning on figuring out what had very soon.

He spotted James sitting with Jack Dawson over in one of the corners, and he moved toward them.

James had come back from his dinner in first class at around ten last night and had showed up in the general room still wearing Regulus's suit. He'd made a great show of his victorious return by recounting the night's events and imitating the first class passengers he had seen, much to the enjoyment of the children who were still awake at the time. Once he'd finished soaking up his glory, he and Remus had walked back to their cabin, where Remus had been forced to listen to his friend go on and on about _Lily_.

He had been stunned to learn how fast (and how risky) James's relationship with Lily was growing (he'd tried to _kiss_ her _twice_? She'd seen him _half-naked_?), and the need to stop their liaison in its tracks was becoming overwhelmingly strong. It was as though James had _completely_ forgotten that Lily was marrying a murderer who wouldn't hesitate to get James out of his way.

Unfortunately, James was completely ignoring his previous knowledge about Malfoy and was plowing headfirst into a whole field of trouble. Before Remus could bring up this problem to his friend, however, James had already retired for the night.

Remus was still awake at midnight when Sirius knocked on their cabin door. He was being plagued by his conscience for what he had told Malfoy that night, and he and Remus had had a long talk in one of the stairwells about it.

_"What else could I have done, Moony?" Sirius whispered despairingly after relaying the whole story about his betrayal. "They're suspicious enough as it is – they would have killed me if I hadn't said _something_!"_

_Remus patted his friend comfortingly on the shoulder._

_"You did what you had to, Padfoot. You know that James and I would've done the same thing if we were in your situation."_

_"But – But I was – _we_ were planning on betraying him anyway…I would've done it even if Malfoy hadn't prompted me. Does that still make it right? Was this even right to begin with?"_

_"Of course it was right!" Remus responded brusquely. "It's for his own good – "_

_"I kept telling myself that, but James can decide what's good or not for him too! It's a bit rich coming from me, but we were too rash! We should've confronted him and let him decide – "_

_"Sirius, have you seen him when he talks about her? He's too blinded by his - his - " Remus stumbled, trying to think of a word to describe James's feelings for Lily. It _wasn't_ love; it _couldn't _be love. But whatever it was, it went beyond simple friendship and was deeper than lust, "by his emotions that he can't see what's going to happen if he continues it! I warned him not to get too attached, Sirius, I honestly did! But he didn't listen and that's why we had to interfere! Don't you see? James would let himself get killed because he was too thick to realise that Malfoy isn't ignoring him and Lily anymore!"_

"Remus, mate! Come sit and _please _tell Jack what an idiot he is!"

James's voice cut into Remus's memory and severed it for the time being. He forced a grin on his face and slid into the seat next to his friend.

"What did poor Jack do to offend you now?" Remus asked, looking at the blond American, who simply rolled his eyes. "Did he tell you that you like an alley cat that's just been run over by a lorry? Well, sorry mate, but you _always_ look like that."

Jack laughed and James scowled, bringing a lighted cigarette to his lips. Remus frowned; he hadn't seen James light one of those foul things up in a few days. He supposed he had Lily's presence to thank for their previous absence.

"So, what's got everyone here so excited?" Remus continued cheerfully, ignoring the smoke James had blown in his direction. "Did someone die overnight?"

"I wish you had," James grumbled, taking a long drag on his cigarette.

"I've got no idea," Jack answered, shrugging as scribbled on his sketchpad. "I got up a bit late this morning and missed a good part of breakfast…I bet Tommy or Fabrizo know something though. Do you want me to find 'em and ask?"

Remus waved his offer off.

"I'm sure we'll find out soon enough…Anyway, where did you disappear to last night? You missed Mr. Egotistical's return from the land of the beautiful."

Jack continued on with his doodle for a bit before he answered. "I went above decks to have a smoke and think. The stars were really nice last night…Met this girl…She was really something…"

"Not another one," Remus groaned.

"You're one to talk, Moony. What about Sigrid and her _English_ lessons?" James asked, chewing on the end of his cigarette with a knowing look on his face

Remus felt himself colour and tried to babble an explanation for himself. While Sigrid was _very_ pretty and a nice girl all together, the frustrating language barrier and her very _large_ and imposing father were not helping the relationship between the two of them at all. Also, whenever they talked, there was always the knowledge that Remus probably never see Sigrid again after _Titanic_ docked; her family was moving to Minnesota and he was staying in New York. At least Remus had the sense to not start a serious relationship he couldn't be in.

"Oh, shut it," James replied, cutting off Remus's babbling. He took on last drag on the cigarette before putting it out on the surface of the table. "So, Dawson, what does this 'really something' girl look like?"

Jack frowned and scribbled one last thing in his sketchpad before handing it over to James. Remus leaned over to have a look at it as well - he'd seen Jack's other drawings and liked the young man's work.

The girl on the paper was, as the American had put it, really something. She had long, dark curls that were blowing freely around her elegant face. Her eyes were shinning with an incredulous look and her mouth was slightly open, as though she was about to ask a question. Her shoulders were bare and a lone earring was hanging from her ear.

"That's…well, that's really good, Jack." Remus complimented at last.

"Thanks."

James suddenly jabbed a finger at the drawing.

"Wait a second…I know who she is! She was at dinner last night…Rose Dewot-Baker or something."

"_Dewitt-Bukater_," Jack corrected, reaching over and taking the sketchpad away from James. He tried not to look too eager as he continued. "Was she…er…interesting? Nice?"

"No," James snorted, not noticing the obvious disappointment that had come across Jack's face. "She was really stiff and quiet. Kinda just sat there and stared…Then again, her fiancé's a right arse – "

"Everyone's fiancé is a right arse to you," Remus muttered, rolling his eyes.

James was about to reply (probably over the fact that Lily's fiancé was more than an arse) when someone called his name from across the room. He looked over his shoulder hopefully and Remus followed his gaze. James's expression, if anything, brightened and Remus grinned.

"Prongs, you charmer…Keep this up and you'll have to start beating the girls away with a mallet."

"Oh, shut it," James said again as he stood up. He walked a few paces before bending low and scooping a little blonde girl into his arms.

The girl – Aileen Kiernan, if Remus's memory served him correctly – shrieked in excitement and the large, gaudy hat she was wearing slipped down her face and over her eyes. James titled it back upwards, a grin on his face, and bounced her in his arms.

"Well, how's my favourite girl today? Are you behaving yourself for your poor mum?"

Yesterday, James and Lily had eaten breakfast with Aileen and her mother. Mrs. Kiernan was travelling alone, having just recently been widowed, and was planning on meeting her brother in New York. James, being the bleeding soul he was, had offered to watch her for a few hours so Mrs. Kiernan could have some time to herself or get some much needed rest. Mrs. Kiernan gladly accepted, having been at her wit's end.

Aileen captured a place in James's heart the moment her mother left them alone. The girl was a ball of energy and James had spent most of their time together playing games or chasing her around the general room. The only time either of them had sat still or taken a rest during that period was when Lily had offered to braid Aileen's hair. The hat that was now perched upon her blonde curls had once been Lily's and she'd given it to the younger girl as a present when her mother had come back.

"Yes, James!" Aileen giggled, an adorable smile crossing her face.

"Are you sure about that?" James asked, arching a black eyebrow playfully. "I may just have to ask your mum…Good morning, Mrs. Kiernan."

James shifted Aileen in his arms so he could speak to her approaching mother properly. Mrs. Kiernan, like her daughter, was blonde, but it had already begun to grey in a few places and her face had a very worn look about it. She didn't look as exhausted as she had yesterday, which Remus thought was a good sign.

"And good mornin' to you, Mr. Potter," she replied in her thick Irish accent. "I hope Aileen didn't interrupt you."

"Interrupt me?" James replied, setting the girl down as she began to squirm uncontrollably in his arms. "Nah, I'd never consider her an interruption…She's too sweet for that."

Aileen was currently tugging at James's trousers for attention and looked to be quite annoyed that her new friend was ignoring her.

"I want to thank you for watching her yesterday…You and Miss Evans got her settled right down."

James frowned at the mention of Lily and Aileen's tugging became more persistent. Finally, after a few more words said between him and Mrs. Kiernan, he looked down at the little girl.

"D'you need something, Aileen?"

"_Jaaameees_," she whinged, a pout forming on her lips. "Where's Miss Lily? I don't see her and I want her to do my hair again!"

James considered her briefly before bending down to her level and placing his hands on her shoulders.

"I…I don't know whether she'll be coming today, Aileen…She had to go back to first class."

"But she's coming to the party tonight, right?" Aileen asked hopefully.

"A party?" James repeated, his brow knotting in confusion. "What party?"

"Is that what everyone's so excited about?" Remus asked, looking at Mrs. Kiernan for confirmation.

She nodded. "Some of the boys from home are going to play their pipes for everyone tonight and a few others have volunteered their instruments as well."

"How come I didn't see you volunteering your piano skills, Potter?"

James shot a dark glare over his shoulder in Jack's general direction.

"It's bein' held here 'bout an hour after dinner. Drinks and lots of dancin', of course…Wanted to celebrate before observing the Lord's Day tomorrow," Mrs. Kiernan continued, gently tugging on her daughter's shoulder. "Come on, missy…Let's leave Mr. Potter be."

"Miss Lily told me she was a really good dancer and I want to see! You'll get her to come, right?" Aileen pleaded, her eyes big and round like a puppy's. She had already learned how to play James like a harp. "Please, James?"

James stood and looked down at the girl, an unreadable expression on his face. After a brief hesitation, he replied, "Sure, Aileen."

The girl's face broke out into a grin as her mother pulled her away. She waved at James before the two of them walked out of the general area and James stared after them, his face a strange mix of emotions.

"A party…" he murmured contemplatively.

Remus recognised the warning signs too late. Before he could stop James from doing something stupid, James dashed away toward the stairs.

* * *

"Prongs, do you know how dangerous this is? Malfoy's not sitting and twiddling his thumbs any more – " 

"I know, I know, Padfoot!" James exclaimed, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "I'm not _stupid_ – "

"You could've fooled me," Sirius responded crossly, folding his arms over his chest. His brow was knitted in anger and his eyes had narrowed to hard, blue silts. "Whatever scheme you may have come up won't work. You're just going to get yourself and her into _more_ trouble – "

"Will you just _listen_ to me for once?" James snapped. They were talking in a shadowy corner on the poop deck, having moved there after James had quite literally run into Sirius on the stairs. It was just as well that they had found and talked to each other now, rather than later - it gave Sirius more time to come up a better excuse than the one James had hastily concocted. "After what Remus told me you did – "

"I didn't have a choice!"

James huffed exasperatedly and pulled his coat tighter together. The weather had gotten increasingly colder since they had left Southampton and there were mutterings among the crew about icebergs, but James hadn't seen one yet. It was rumoured that Captain Smith had steered the ship a bit further south than normal, as a precaution, but James believed he'd needn't have bothered - iceberg season was nearly over with and few ships actually ran into them anymore anyway.

"I _know_ you didn't have a choice, mate, believe me. But after what you did, I figured I had to be more careful and cunning. Bring out the Slytherin in me, so to speak," James replied, cracking a grin when Sirius shuddered in undisguised disgust. "So I devised a clever little plan and you're a vital part of that, as always."

Sirius sighed and leaned against the wall, obviously relieved that James wasn't mad at him. "What do you want me to do?"

"Lie to Malfoy."

"Well, you've once again shocked me with your cleverness, Prongs! Lying to Malfoy…I would've never thought of _that_ on my own! Please, continue to enlighten me with the progressing wisdom of your plan!"

James glared. Sirius must have one hell of a hangover if he was still this irritable at eleven in the morning.

"Well, before you lie to Malfoy, you need to go up there," he pointed to the first class area just above them, "and lie to Lily."

"She's up there?" Sirius asked, following James's finger and looking suddenly quite panicky. "_Now?_"

James shook his head.

"She will be in a few minutes. I paid a steward to go fetch her about a half an hour ago. Told him to say that you wanted to talk to her out on the deck and to escort her to this point," he explained, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "What you need to do is stage a conversation with Lily, just in case someone followed her, and then walk off a few minutes later. I'll handle it from there."

"I suppose I'll have to come with some creative excuse when Malfoy interrogates me tonight, then?" Sirius asked, standing up straight again as James nodded. "All right…Against my better judgment, I'll do this."

"Good! Now, get up there and act like…er…"

"A Black?"

James shrugged and Sirius rolled his eyes. He clapped James on the shoulder before walking over toward the stairs. At the base, he paused and turned to look back at him, a pondering expression on his face.

"What makes you think that this steward that you found won't go running to Malfoy once he's done his job for you?"

James smirked.

"Let's just say that he's from a family that would love to see Lucius Malfoy get his comeuppance."

* * *

Bill Weasley couldn't believe he had agreed to do this. It had to be the stupidest thing he'd ever done in his life and if his mother _ever_ found out about it, she would skin him alive. But he was doing it all the same, despite all of his misgivings. 

When James Potter had first approached him in a corridor and requested a favour from him about an hour and a half ago, Bill's first reaction had been to tell him to sod off and find someone else. Sure, it was a rude response, but Bill's first impression of Potter had been one of a troublemaker of the worst sort and it wasn't in his interest to associate with that kind of people. Bill had begun to walk away and then Potter had appealed to the one fixation that Bill couldn't say no to.

_"If you help me out, you'll be able to take a hit at Lucius Malfoy!"_

It was a well-known fact that the Weasleys and the Malfoys had never gotten along for as long as they had known each other. They were both two of England's oldest families and their feud was almost as old as they were. It had just gotten worse as the years progressed, though no one really remembered how it had started.

Lucius Malfoy and Bill's father, Arthur, had been the ones to finally push it over the edge. They'd known each other for only a brief time, yet that was still enough to foster the great loathing that was shared between them now.

Bill had been eight years old when the feud hit rock bottom. His father had killed the Malfoy's younger brother in self-defence and when the courts ruled him innocent, things started rolling down hill for the Weasley family.

After the trial, Arthur was fired from his position at the Ministry, which said that they didn't want a murderer working for them, but both his father and uncles agreed that Malfoy and his influence had something to do with it. But they weren't worried; Arthur would be able to get another job and even if he didn't, they still had the family fortune to rely on.

Then, two months later, Arthur had gone to the bank to withdraw some money. The problem was that there was no longer any money in _any_ of Arthur's accounts. Strangely, only Arthur's accounts at the bank had been affected, but when all the relatives had gone to check their assets, property rights and deeds could not be located, had been lost, or simply disappeared from their files.

Overnight, the Weasleys went from one of the richest families in the nation to paupers. Bill's parents had to sell their manor house and all their fine things to ensure that they could have a suitable life even without the fortune. Arthur had been sure things would look up; he would get another, well-paying job and until then, his brothers would help support him. Both plans never worked out in the end – no employer would hire someone who had enraged the Malfoys and Bill's uncles turned on them, not wanting to bring Malfoy's wrath upon them as well. His family eventually sunk into the worst state of poverty.

When the news broke, the press had had a field day. They blamed it all on Arthur, claiming he had gambled the entire fortune away over the years or attacked Molly, saying she had been irresponsible and spent it all on herself, to "stuff her fat face" as one of the nastier articles had stated. It was the biggest scandal in recent years and although so much attention had been focused on it, _no one_ seemed to connect the Malfoys to any of it, even though they had ended up with an _extraordinary_ amount of the Weasleys' old property.

Lucius Malfoy was the reason why his father had to work as a milkman, why his mother worked day in and day out as a seamstress, and why Bill himself had to forgo the best education England could offer to help support his four brothers. He was the reason why the Weasley name no longer commanded honour or got snickers in response.

So even though James Potter might be up to no good or be the worst sort of criminal, Bill had turned right around and accepted his offer. For as far as Bill was concerned, anything he could do to bring that bastard Malfoy down just a notch would be worth the risk.

It also didn't hurt that he was getting six pounds out of the deal either.

* * *

Petunia took a sip of her tea, listening to the countess blather on about some formal party she had attended ages ago in London. Lady Duff Gordon's comments were no better, as they usually consisted of which nobles were buying her clothing and lingerie designs this season. Neither women had offered up any delectable gossip for them to discuss and Petunia was rather disappointed, for the last time she had talked to one of these ladies, there had been a startling amount of talk to choose from. 

There was never enough good gossip to mull over these days. It was as though everyone had decided to live good, clean, pious lives from now on. But that was a simply prosperous idea; _no one_ had fun living a life full of virtues and no one had fun talking about a virtuous life either.

However, because of the scarce amount of new gossip, Petunia was _always_ forced to drag up the topic of Lily's upcoming wedding. It had been a wonderful thing to discuss at first, but now that she had told the same thing _over _and _over_ again, it was getting dreadfully boring. She'd lost count on how many times she'd mulled over every detail with her tea mates, and now she dreaded her turn at gossip instead of actually enjoying it.

Petunia supposed that the discussion would be a bit less boring and more interesting if Lily actually wanted to say something for once, but her sister had never liked talking about the wedding and as the date kept getting closer, she kept tightening her lips further.

But this behaviour was nothing new. Lily was never one to talk at teatime and when she did, her topics brought such disbelieving stares that she stopped almost instantly. Petunia was constantly being embarrassed by her sister's lack of socialisation and misconduct in general whenever they sat together. Lily had picked up such awful habits over the years – chewing her nails, slouching, and _smoking_ (which Lucius had thankfully stopped before it escalated) just to name a few. Her actions had revolted every other man she'd met and it was a wonder how someone as wonderful as Lucius could've decided to marry her.

With the way things were going, however, it would be a wonder if there still would _be_ a wedding in July. Lily and Lucius's fights were getting worse as the wedding neared and the whole voyage on _Titanic_ seemed to have increased the tension between them, though it had been meant to be a relaxing trip. Petunia could easily trace the blame to this problem, however.

James Potter was ruining Lily's life. It seemed that ever since he had stepped in the picture, Lily had become increasingly miserable and despondent, while Lucius's temper had been tested to the breaking point. Potter was the cause of all Lily's problems, and it was _his_ fault that Lucius and Lily had had that terrible fight last night. It was _his_ fault that Lily had a horrible bruise marring her face this morning. He was doing more damage to her sister than Petunia had previously though imaginable.

Potter needed to be eradicated from Lily's life. He was like a tick, feeding off Lily as if his life depended on it, and Petunia would be the one to pick him off and crush him under her heel.

"Ah…pardon me ladies…"

Petunia looked over the Countess's shoulder where a young steward was standing, shuffling his feet nervously. She sniffed, noticing his uniform was that of the third class. He had red hair and freckles…a _Weasley_, obviously.

"Can we help you?" Petunia asked, glaring at him. He didn't belong up here; _no _Weasley belonged in the first class anymore. If anything, her glare made him more uncomfortable, but his confidence didn't seem to waver as much as it should've.

"Bill?"

Petunia tore her eyes away from the young Weasley and stared incredulously at her sister. What was she doing, associating with stewards _and_ a Weasley at that? It was even worse than that despicable _Potter_!

"What're you doing here?" Lily asked politely, ignoring Petunia's menacing stare and fixing Weasley with a warm smile.

"Oh…er…I've been sent with a message for you, Miss Evans," Weasley responded, bouncing on his toes. He was a poor example of proper steward behaviour, that much was certain. "Mr. Sirius Black wants to see you out on the Promenade deck. Says he's got something to say to you and I'm supposed to escort you."

Lily's expression darkened significantly. Petunia smelled a story. Lily and Black had been on good terms before the voyage, and now her sister could barely stand to be in the same room as him. Petunia supposed it had something to do with Black joining with whatever Lucius and Tom Riddle were doing, but she didn't see why Lily had to be upset about it. After all, she accepted that her fiancé was…well, engaging in some questionable business without compliant.

"Why must Mr. Black see Lily in private?" Petunia asked out of concern for her sister. If Black was up to something, Petunia wanted to be around to hear it. "Can't he come inside and give her this message?"

"I don't know ma'am. He just said that he wanted to see Miss Lily alone…Probably very important, I presume…Then again, I'm just a simple Weasley, so you probably won't listen to my opinion anyway," Weasley finished scathingly, boldly returning her gaze.

Lily hid her snickers with one gloved hand and Petunia pursed her lips in annoyance. The nerve of that boy…

"Your family always _did_ have a problem with recognising their betters," she shot back, reaching for her teacup. Weasley's smug expression slid right off his face and Lily fixed her with an icy glare. "But go ahead and take her. Just make be back before we go to lunch at one-thirty…Lucius won't like it if she's late."

* * *

"I apologise for my sister's behaviour, though it really won't do much good. She's really not very polite to anyone." 

Bill looked over his shoulder at her as they walked out onto the B-Deck Promenade, a surprised expression on his face. They hadn't spoken much during their walk out onto the deck simply because Bill had asked her to hurry, and talking and hurrying didn't go well together. Instead of taking the normal way up the deck, Bill had led her through a long corridor of staterooms and then up the aft first class staircase. When she'd asked, he said it took less time then walking on the Promenade, which Lily really didn't believe, but didn't voice her opinion of it.

"Don't worry about it, Miss Evans. I'm quite used to it by now," Bill replied, leading her toward the stern. "A lot of the other stewards think they can bully me because of it, but the last one who made fun of my family got a black eye."

"You can call me Lily, if you like," she responded, grinning. This was the most amusement she'd had all morning. "I don't care much for being proper, if you can't already tell."

"All right…Lily," Bill muttered, a faint blush appearing on his cheeks.

Silence enveloped them again as they walked further down the deck, passing very few people as they went. It was brighter than it had been in the reception room, but a chilly breeze had come up, the air its coolest since they had left Southampton. Lily wished she'd thought to stop at her stateroom to get a coat and hoped Sirius wouldn't keep her outside for too long.

She frowned at the thought of Sirius. What was so important that he needed to talk to her in private? Why did he need to talk to her _at all_ even? She was hardly his closest acquaintance; if he had a problem, why didn't he go running to Lucius and Riddle instead of her?

"Bill, do you have any idea what _he_ wants to speak to me about?"

"Er…no," Bill replied quickly. There was something about his tone and the way his face flushed that made her think he actually _did_ know what Sirius wanted. "He…just approached me on the deck this morning and asked if I'd want to run an errand for him, which was to find you and tell you that he had something to say."

"I see," Lily muttered as they approached the end of the promenade shelter. She could see Sirius's tall form leaning against the rail separating the first and steerage classes. His body language simply screamed boredom and he currently looked involved with examining his fingernails…typical Black behaviour. "I believe I can make it from here, Bill. I'm sorry that you had to be pulled away from whatever you were doing for this…"

"It's no problem, Miss Lily," Bill replied, his blush increasing. "I - I wasn't doing anything much anyway."

They stopped at the end of the enclosed promenade and Lily stuck out her hand. Bill shook it, gave her an encouraging smile and tipped his hat to her before turning and walking away.

Lily took a deep breath and set her face into a frown as she walked over to where Black stood. He straightened as she neared, looking irritable, though there was a small smirk on his face.

"What do you want Black?" she asked, halting in front of him. She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to look formidable.

"You know, I do believe that that Weasley boy is starting to fancy you," Sirius responded, ignoring her inquiry and looking over her shoulder at Bill's retreating figure. "If you're not careful, you'll have another one after you and old Lucius won't like that, will he?"

"Bill does not fancy me!" Lily exclaimed indignantly, feeling herself colour at the thought. Sirius raised an eyebrow challengingly and his smirk grew wider. "Oh, you – you…I knew this would happen! You'd drag me out here just to make fun of me and make it a complete waste of my time! I could be – " she paused, noticing the sudden, intense look on his face, "w –what?"

"What happened to your face?" he asked, pointing to her cheek. Something suspiciously close to concern crossed his face before it disappeared. "That looks like a bruise…"

"It's nothing," Lily responded quickly. She looked away from him and at her feet. "I – I ran into a door last night, that's all."

She hated it when people asked her about her bruises or scratches. It made her feel vulnerable and weak, but most of all, it made her feel guilty. Guilty that she couldn't stand up for herself and tell them that Lucius was the cause, not a fall down the stairs or a run in with a door. Guilty that she couldn't just admit to them that her fiancé was a cold, heartless man who hit her and threatened her life. Guilty that instead of telling the truth about everything, she had to lie and cover up for Lucius. She had to blame herself instead of her overbearing fiancé and his violent fists.

But that was hardly the worst part of the experience. Easily the most painful part came when the questioner would look away, satisfied with her answer, and ignore the pleading look in her eyes, her helplessness of the situation. They could pester her for the truth if they wanted; they could see past her feeble lies and excuses if they wanted, but they never did. They never wanted to look deeper in and discover the truth that they knew was lying somewhere in her.

Even if they did continue to ask, however, she would never admit the truth. She was frightened to admit that Lucius hit her, frightened of what the results would be to both herself and the person she had admitted the truth to. The first and only time she had opened up to someone, her friend had died death two days later and she had received three broken fingers in return.

Lily _didn't_ want to admit it either. She knew it was a common experience; Petunia often sported a bruise from Vernon, but never nearly as often as Lily did. Admitting would mean she was weak, that she couldn't take care of herself…and she didn't want to pitying looks, the soft, treacherous whispers behind her back.

She could take care of herself. She was strong. No one needed to know… 

"…You ran into a door?" Sirius repeated, his eyes and tone sceptical.

"_Yes!_ I wasn't looking where I was going and – oh, what does it matter anyway?" she demanded angrily. There came that stubborn denial again, that wouldn't let her back or break down. "I didn't come out here to talk about my face! What do you want to tell me?"

"Oh…er…Can we move over here to talk about it?" he asked, looking rather uncomfortable suddenly. Without waiting for an answer, he gently grabbed her by the elbow and led her to a small corner near the separating railing. It was far more secluded than the open deck, with ship machinery, a bench, and railings boxing them in. Sirius backed her to the railing, blocking her from view.

"What's this all about?" she repeated wearily, growing tired of all the games he was playing.

He stared stonily at her for a moment, arms crossed over his chest, and then he spoke, his tone tense.

"I'm not doing this because I _want_ to, you must understand. I owe him a favour and I'm a man of my honour, despite the way I come off as a careless git."

"You're not making any sense. If you've dragged me away from tea for a game of riddles, I'm going to be – "

"Oh, don't pretend you're upset about missing tea. I know you better than that – you hate teatime and always _will_ hate teatime, no matter what you say."

She glared at him, hating him for knowing her so well. She hated herself, too, for still enjoying and liking his company, even when she shouldn't.

"Anyway, I'm not the one who really needs to talk to you," Sirius continued, jabbing his thumb in the direction of the poop deck. "He does."

Lily stared at him, wondering if he had finally gone mad, and then –

* * *

Lily's face paled after his hint and she suddenly looked stricken. 

"Oh, no…No, no, no!" she cried, taking a step away from him and bumping into the railing. "I can't – I _mustn't _talk to him!"

Sirius stared at her, taken aback by her refusal. He'd thought she be overjoyed to see James again, thought she'd nearly leap over the rail in excitement…He'd never imagined she would actually _refuse_ to talk to him.

"What do you mean you '_can't_'?" he asked before he could stop himself. "You sure as hell didn't have a problem with seeing him _yesterday_."

"You don't understand! Lucius found out about yesterday and he – he…" Lily's hand flew unconsciously to her bruised cheek and suddenly, Sirius knew the cause behind its sudden appearance. He recalled the murderous look Malfoy had had on his face when he'd gone stomping off to confront Lily last night and a painful stab of guilt went through Sirius, reminding him of yet another person that had been hurt because of him. "A – and I just can't see him! For his sake and mine…It's not worth the risk – "

"Do you know how much trouble he went through to talk to you for _five minutes_? He dragged me out of bed so I could put up a farce for your fiancé, the man _I_ work for now!" Sirius replied angrily. "Don't you think he knows that things were going to get harder after last night's dinner? That's why he went through all the trouble of hiring the Weasley boy and reminding me of all my damn _favours_! He obviously has _something_ important to tell you, Miss Evans, because Potter never plans anything."

"It's not like I don't want to see him!" Lily exclaimed, turning away from Sirius and looking out over the dark blue ocean. "I've been _dying_ to see him all morning. I can't _stand_ being away from him and I don't know _why_…I feel so…so alive when I'm with him." She put her face in one shaking hand and shook her head slowly. "But Lucius – Lucius…He has spies everywhere and if he finds out, James will be in more trouble than I want to think about. And…And he won't be very happy with me, either. Besides," she looked over her shoulder at him, her tone cynical, "you'll probably go run and tell him everything once I agree, so what's the point of even trying to talk to him?"

"I _won't_," he declared. "I told you, I'm a man of honour. Though it's against my will entirely, I'm going to respect Potter's wishes and keep my mouth shut about your little meeting today."

"I've been gone far too long already. He's probably sent Snape to look for me."

Sirius frowned. It sounded like she was making up excuses for staying away from James.

"I'll do you both one more favour and lure Snape away if he comes near, all right? If there's one person I hate more than Potter and Lupin, it's Snape," Sirius vowed. "Now, _please_ just go and talk to him so I can go eat my lunch with some peace of mind."

Lily turned around and observed him carefully with her bright green eyes. He'd always found them slightly unsettling, especially when she stared at him for a long time.

"Where is he?" she asked finally, sighing resolutely.

"Just below us," Sirius said, pointing over the railing again. "You've just got to stand here and he'll talk to you. You're fiancé's already doing a very thorough job of keeping Potter in the third class. He's gotten yelled at four times already."

"You promise you won't tell Lucius?"

"I told you I won't, but you can't stay long. Just listen to what he says and leave, all right?"

She nodded, looking slightly puzzled, and he turned, walking out of their hiding place. He hurried along the starboard side of the deck and as soon as he entered the enclosed promenade area, he saw that Lily was correct in her assumption. Snape was already prowling the deck a bit further ahead and advancing in his direction.

Sirius sighed and marched forward, intent on intercepting Snape before he got any further along or at least stalling him for a good while so Lily and James could talk without being found.

"Well, if it isn't our good friend, Black," Snape stated, a sneer crossing his features. He stopped as Sirius approached.

"What're you doing out here, Snape? Aren't you allergic to sunlight?" Sirius snapped in response, angered by Snape's condescending tone.

"I'm simply investigating a claim made by Mrs. Dursley concerning yourself and Miss Evans…Considering your past history with the girl, I felt it best that I take a look into the situation."  
Sirius cocked an eyebrow in amusement. "Well, for you information, all I did was have a talk with her, but it's no use going to check up on her. She got mad at me and stomped off around the port side."

"What did you tell Miss Evans that upset her so?"

Sirius began walking in the opposite direction, hoping that Snape would follow him, and the other man did so, falling for the ploy.

"Oh, just something I heard from one of my sources. You remember Remus Lupin, don't you? Well, he doesn't like the idea of Evans and Potter either, and he told me what Potter's next plan to try and seduce Evans was. It's a cunning plan, which is rather uncharacteristic of Potter. You'd think he was trying to bring out the inner Slytherin in him…"

* * *

James wished Sirius would stop taking his sweet time with talking to Lily and go away already. The deck hands were starting to get suspicious and James had been forced to smoke three cigarettes to make it look as though he was actually doing something. They all seemed to think he was up to something (of course, they _were_ correct in that assumption) and every five minutes or so, one of them would walk over his way or shoot a suspicious glare in his direction. James supposed these must've been the crew who had been paid off by Malfoy – surely no _other_ crew members would waste time checking up on a passenger who had been harmlessly smoking for fifteen minutes. 

James was currently leaning on the railing with his fourth cigarette in hand, directly below Sirius and Lily. He could hear their voices, but there was too much distance and noise for him to understand or catch any of the words. When he looked up, he could also just barely see them. Sometimes he caught a trousered leg, a twirl of a navy skirt, or the flash of her hair…

It was torture to be so near her and not be _with _her. Her absence had been unbearable and now, being so close but still too far away, was driving him insane. Every moment Sirius wasted, James got more and more desperate to see her face, to touch her skin, to hear her laugh…

He didn't know why he felt this about her; it was the most complex and incomprehensible feeling he had ever had for anyone. How could he feel so empty when she wasn't with him? Why did she affect his moods at the drop of a hat? Why had he never felt this way about _other_ girls? Was he – was he…

No. He couldn't be. He'd only known her for _three_ days at the most; it was impossible for him to be –

"James?"

James snapped to attention and immediately looked up. Lily was leaning over the railing above him, a look of trepidation on her face.

"Lily!" he exclaimed, dropping his cigarette in surprise. Her face softened when he spoke and a smile flittered across her features. "It sure took you two long enough!"

She frowned and cupped an ear with her hand. "What? I can't hear you!"

"I said, it sure took you two long enough!"

"I do hope that a shouting match isn't your idea of discrete either!" she laughed, obviously not hearing a word he'd just said.

James laughed too, an elated feeling flowing through him. Why was it that the very sound of her voice made him so light-headed and carefree?

"Just hang on!" he called, hoping she could hear him. "I'm going to climb up to you!"

After a moment, she nodded in confirmation and stepped away from the rail, obviously trying to avoid drawing attention to herself. James looked over his shoulder and, after spotting no nosy deck hands, walked over to a nearby piece of machinery. It was a large, square platform that was at least two feet taller than himself, and it covered about half of the distance between his and Lily's decks. James hopped onto a bench propped against the side and made a grab for the ledge. After a few tries, he got a good hold and hoisted himself up onto the surface.

Lily was watching him out of the corner of her eye as he stood on the top of the platform, checked over his shoulder once again, and made his way over to the well deck. He made a grab for the last rung of the railing with one hand and he barely reached it, even on his tiptoes. Once both of his hands were on the rung, James began to climb up the well deck wall. His shoes slipped often on the sides, making the job of climbing more difficult than it already was, and his grip was never tight enough, which made changing rungs a very unpleasant experience. Though he had his troubles, he somehow managed to pull himself up to Lily's level speedily.

There was hardly any room for his feet, but he had worked on smaller window ledges, higher up in the air than this, so it was only a slight inconvenience for him. Since the ship structure was to the left of Lily's corner and he really didn't want to expose them even more than he'd already done, he shimmed along the rail until he was safely back in the corner, face-to-face with Lily.

"Now I know how Romeo felt when he had to climb Juliet's balcony," James huffed, trying to catch his breath and noticing the amused look on her face. Climbing usually didn't wear him out that much; he was probably getting out of shape.

Lily laughed, her face lightening even more. James wished she would laugh more often. He loved it when she did so.

"I suppose we're rather like Romeo and Juliet, aren't we? Two different people forbidden to be together because of a stupid feud…" she stated softly, setting her gloved hands on top of his. "Juliet even had a fiancé that had some part in keeping her away from Romeo, didn't she?"

"Ah, but Romeo kills him in the end anyway, right before he snuffs it himself…But I hope we're not going to be killing ourselves any time soon," James responded, looking away from her face and down at their hands. Her hands were so much smaller and delicate than his, but when he took one hand and held it in his, it fit perfectly despite the size differences. He glanced up at her after observing their interlocked hands for a few more moments and asked, "How come you didn't visit me this morning? I know you couldn't have wanted to stay for tea that badly."

"I know and I'm sorry," she whispered, her fingers stroking the top of his hand softly. James frowned, noticing the light tone of voice and that she didn't seem very sorry at all for not showing up. "I wanted to, James…B - But Lucius found out about yesterday and he – he…I don't know how he could've found out…"

"I'm afraid that may be my fault," he responded. "I blabbed a bit to Sirius last night. He was prompting me and I just automatically answered because I was so used to him. I didn't think and, being the bastard Sirius is, I'm sure he went off and told Malfoy every little detail. He didn't do anything…did he?"

Lily's face clouded over once again and she looked away, biting her lip.

"N – No," she muttered at last, her voice timid and shaky. "He yelled, but he always yells and…oh…don't do that – "

James ignored her weak protest and reached out, gently grabbing her chin. She flinched involuntarily and he slowly guided her face the other way so the opposite cheek was showing. A thrill of shock went through him.

A large, reddish brown bruise disfigured her right cheek. Her face powder had covered most of it up well, but James didn't know how he _couldn't_ have seen it before. It was horrible; it didn't _belong_ there, splashed violently against the creamy white of her skin. It was a sign of brutality, something that didn't belong on such a loving person like Lily.

"Lily," he breathed, feeling alarmed, ashamed, and angered all at once. He let go of her chin and laid a hand gently on her injured cheek. She winced as his fingers trailed softly over the bruise, revealing the pain it caused. "How…what…" Realisation washed over him suddenly, his face and tone hardened like rock. "_He didn't_…"

"I – I…It was my fault, James. A door – "

"A _door_? A _door_ did this?" James repeated harshly, rage suddenly coursing through him. His eyes narrowed and she suddenly looked frightened. "Last time I checked, doors didn't have _fists_!"

"That's…That's what happened, _all right_?" she cried angrily, reaching up and wrenching his hand away from her cheek. She dropped it quickly, as if it was something dirty, and her eyes lost the frightened quality, turning dark and angry. "I wasn't paying attention and I ran into a door! He didn't…he would never – "

"Oh, don't stand up for him, Lily!" James replied, irritated at her sudden denial. She lifted her hand from his and backed away from the rail just a bit, as if he was longer appropriate to stand by. "There's no reason to defend him if he's – "

"_Lucius doesn't hit me!_" she hissed, turning away from him, but not before he caught the furious tears in her eyes.

A stab of guilt went through him, but it was quickly replaced by another dose of fury and misunderstanding. What did she think she was playing at, lying to him? James had seen enough beaten women to know the difference between an accident and someone's fist! How could she stand up for _him_ if he was doing something that horrible? She was being so _stupid_…

"Don't lie to me, Lily! He's an evil bastard that isn't fit – "

"I'm not _lying_!" she exclaimed, looking over her shoulder to give him an icy glare.

"Do you think I'm stupid? I know what's happening! He's – "

"You are the most rude, incorrigible, _idiotic_ – " she interrupted furiously, having trouble finding the right words to describe him. "If all you wanted to accomplish by meeting me was to slander my fiancé a bit more, then go back to steerage! I don't have to deal with your – your absurdity any longer!"

James gaped at her back and then shot back hotly, "_You_ certainly didn't have a problem _slandering_ good old Lucius yesterday _and_ the day before!"

"And what I said and did yesterday got me in trouble!" Lily exclaimed, twirling back around. She looked just as furious as he felt. Her cheeks were flushed a vivid red, enhancing the bruise even more, and she was breathing heavily. "What Lucius and I do in private is none of your concern! I don't even know why I bothered telling _you_ in the first place! Why don't you just leave me alone and go back to where you belong, _in steerage_!"  
"Don't refer to me like that, you infuriating – stubborn – " James growled, glaring at her. It was hard restraining all the angry words her wanted to throw in her face; no one had made him so furious that he went speechless in a very long time.

"What, _steerage_?" she asked nastily, forcibly reminding James of her sister. "In case you've forgotten, that's what you are! I don't know _why_ I even concerned myself with someone like you. You're always prying, always sticking your nose in someplace you don't belong – "

"You bloody _hypocrite_! You're no better than those other first class snobs! I don't know what _I_ was thinking, befriending you! Usually, I don't take to cowardly, shallow, and utterly _pathetic_ people!" he yelled, his temper getting the best of him and the furious words spilling out in a gush. Her face became as hard as stone, and her shoulders began to tremble in anger. "I should've let you _jump_, you ungrateful, horrid…"

"_Shut up_!" she shrieked, stomping the deck like a spoiled child. The tears were back and were making tracks down her cheeks, but James didn't feel any sympathy toward her. "You don't know – you couldn't possibly understand – "

"Only because I'm _steerage scum_, right? _I _wouldn't know a thing about horrible husbands-to-be or being miserable or anything else that went wrong in your perfect little life because I'm not _good enough_ to be miserable – "

Abruptly, Lily turned on her heel, stomping out of the corner with as much dignity she could muster. She began to walk away from him, her head held high and snootily.

"Fine! You go ahead and go back to him!" James shouted at her back, enraged. She didn't respond verbally, but her pace quickened as she tried to get away from him. The few bystanders on the Promenade deck looked between the two of them, shocked the emotional display. "I don't care! I _never _cared about you and your petty problems! _I never want to see you again!_"

"_FINE!_"

"**_FINE!_**"

And without another glance at her hurriedly retreating back, James climbed down the rail and dropped the rest of the way to his deck, not caring about the landing, hurting his knees or any pain at all. He pushed past approaching deck hands, ignoring their feeble protests and reprimands. He walked through the steerage area, taking no notice of the other passengers or feeling nothing other than anger. Finally, when he came to the empty stern, he threw himself onto a bench, and violently pulled out a cigarette out of his pack.

Only after the cigarette was half-finished and he had calmed down to think rationally did he allow himself to bury his face in his hands and let a few hot, livid tears pass from his eyes.

* * *

Thanks for reading and please review. Also remember to check out my LiveJournal (user name: greenconverses, or check out of the link in my profile) where I frequently post progress reports on upcoming chapters or scene from future chapters. I shall also answer reviewer questions from there as well. Until next time! 


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Author's Notes:** Here's a fast update for you! Like I said in Chapter 12, this chapter was already more than half completed by the time I uploaded Chapter 12 onto the system. It probably would've gotten done a bit faster than this, but I ended up changing the ending halfway through the last scene, so that caused some problems as well. Chapter 14 won't be as quick to come out – I've barely got a page finished on that, but that's because I've started working on another fic for a little while.

This chapter is even longer than the last one, but only by a page or so. It also _finally_ gives you, the reviewer, the thing you've wanted since Chapter 1. I personally really enjoyed this ending and I hope you do to.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter or James Cameron's _Titanic_.

**Chapter 13**

_2:31 PM_

Lucius was dealing cards for a game of bridge when Petunia appeared at the other end of the smoking room. Even at a distance, he could tell she was annoyed. He looked away, pretending not to notice her until she reached their table.

"Hello Petunia," Lucius sighed, hearing the click of her heels as she stopped beside him. He didn't bother to look up and greet her properly. "Do you need something?"

"_You_ never showed up for our luncheon!" Petunia responded in her shrill, irritating voice. Lucius and the other three men at the time winced. "I had to sit at the table _by myself_ until I got invited to another table! Do you know how _humiliated_ I was, stood up by both my sister _and_ her fiancé?"

"I apologise, Petunia," Lucius replied automatically, though he was not feeling very sorry at all. "My plans changed and there was no time to alert you. I assure you, it will not happen again."

Petunia huffed in an exasperated way, and Lucius supposed she was glaring at him. He threw another card at Black, who suddenly looked rather uncomfortable, and didn't bother to say anything more to her, hoping she would go away.

"Well, that explains half of the problem. But where was Lily? Did your change of plans include having a romantic luncheon with her as well?" Petunia continued, much to Lucius's disappointment. He'd hoped she would've gotten the hint and –

Lucius paused mid-deal.

"What do you mean? _I_ didn't have lunch with Lily. She was supposed to have lunch with you," he replied, finally looking up at her.

"She never showed up," Petunia stated simply, placing one delicate hand on her hip. Her hat was pulled low over her eyes, casting a shadow over them and giving her normally harmless-looking face a dark, threatening look.

"Never showed up?" Lucius repeated, absentmindedly throwing the last card to Regulus and sitting back in his chair to observe her. "But she was with you for most of the morning. Where'd she disappear to?"

"Well," Petunia said, pursing her lips in distaste. "It was barely noon when she left to go talk with _him – _" she fixed her angry blue eyes on Black, " – and she never came back. I thought she must've gone to have lunch with you, but I obviously assumed incorrectly."

Tom pulled the cigar he had been chewing on for the past ten minutes out of his mouth and looked at Black as well. "Where did you say Miss Evans ran off to after you finished speaking with her?"

"After I finished, she yelled at me because I upset her with some of my comments," Black recited in a bored tone as he observed them over his hand of cards. "So she stomped off around the port side of the ship and I don't know where she went from there. It's not my responsibility to baby-sit her, after all."

Lucius snapped his fingers in annoyance and Severus stepped away from the fireplace, hovering near Black's seat.

"Severus, I believe it will ease Petunia's mind if you go and search for Lily," Lucius instructed. "And this time, please actually locate her before you come back."

Severus flushed in embarrassment, but nodded his understanding and walked from the table. Lucius then turned to Petunia and put a smile on his face.

"Once again, I do apologise for my actions earlier. I do hope it didn't cause you any permanent damage. You're more than welcome to sit with us, if you like."

To the relief of everyone at the table, Petunia shook her head in refusal and muttered an excuse about meeting some of her friends for a walk out on the Boat Deck. She left the smoking room in a much pleasanter mood after bidding them all farewell.

"Finally," Regulus breathed, picking up his cards and looking them over. "I thought she'd never leave. Bloody harpy…"

"Now, Regulus. That's no way to talk about Lucius's future sister-in-law," Tom scolded half-heartedly, before putting his cigar back in his mouth and chewing on the end.

Regulus mumbled a not-so-sincere apology, but Lucius waved it off and they started the game.

They managed to play three games uninterrupted (Tom, of course, won every time) before Severus returned, a smug and sure look on his face.

"Found her already, did you?" Black asked scathingly. It was his turn to deal the cards and he shuffled them listlessly from one hand to the next, waiting for Severus to reply.

"Yes, I did," Severus responded shortly, fixing Black with a poisonous glare before turning to Lucius. "Miss Evans is currently in the library, reading. Would you like me to go fetch her or – "

"No, that's fine," Lucius declined, setting his hand down on the table and rising from his chair. "I think I shall go find Lily myself and see exactly why she decided to skip lunch...and it had _better_ not be the reason that I think it is."

As Lucius left the table, Black strangely sunk lower in his chair, covering most of his face with his cards.

* * *

The sun splashed brightly on pages of her book, shadows dancing merrily as she turned or fingered its pages.

Lily sighed. She had been reading the same page for the past ten minutes, never really taking in Emily Bronte's words or paying attention to the story any way, though it really didn't matter; she'd read _Wuthering Heights_ before.

_"I see no reason that he should not know, as well as you," I returned, "and if you are his choice, he will be the most unfortunate creature that ever was born! As soon as you become Mrs. Linton, he loses friend, and love, and all! Have you ever considered how you'll bear the separation, and how he'll bear to be quite deserted in the world? Because, Miss Catherine" –_

_"He quite deserted! We separated!" she exclaimed with an accent of indignation. "Who is to separate us, pray? They'll meet the fate of Milo! Not as long as I live, Ellen: for no mortal creature. Every Linton on the face of the earth might melt into nothing before I could consent to forsake Heathcliff!"_

The first book she had picked off the shelf had been a collection of Shakespearean plays. That one had been slammed back into its place the moment she saw the title and the noise had earned her a glare from the other, browsing passengers. She had picked _Wuthering Heights_ after seeing no other titles she was interested in, then she had stormed over to a spare chair in the corner, and had sat there, stewing, for the next few hours.

Lily hadn't meant to come into the library, of all places, after...after the incident on the deck. She hadn't been looking for place of stillness and tranquillity, where she could sit undisturbed for hours at an end and be forced to think. She had been looking for a place where she could scream, throw things, rage about, and not think about what had happened, what she had said...what _he _had said...

_"...Usually, I don't take to cowardly, shallow, and utterly _pathetic_ people!"_

Lily didn't even finish the page as she turned it over so violently that she almost ripped the page clean out of the book.

Just thinking about him made her furious. He had _no right_ to say all those things to her and insult her like he had done. He'd gotten angry with her for no reason. She had done _nothing_ wrong; she had been protecting her and Lucius's dignity by not answering his questions. He didn't need to know any more about her private life with her fiancé.

Why had he even bothered to try and talk to her anyway? Had he only called her out on the deck this morning – risking Lucius's wrath – to cause a scene, yell at her, and humiliate her in front of her fellow passengers? Had that been his plan all along? Had he only gotten close to her to learn her secrets, her vulnerable side, and then throw it all back in her face when the time was right? Had she been some kind of _joke_ to him, something that he and his mates could have a good laugh over once all was said and done?

The bastard.

Even if that had been his intention from the start, it wasn't like this was the first time that this situation had occurred. Back at Beauxbatons, she hadn't had many friends and had been very unpopular. Several of the girls who had tried to get close to her had only done it so they could have a laugh with their real friends. She had overheard some of the other girls whispering about her one day, just before she had gotten expelled. They'd been whispering about her differences, how there was something about her that didn't belong in society, how she was a _freak_… She was used to these sorts of things now.

Lily closed her book and looked out the frosted window, her vision blurring.

What was it about her that made everyone hate her? What was so horrible and repulsive about her that caused people to shun her and treat her like she was invisible? Why did no one treat her like a human, with feelings and emotions just like theirs? Why did they think they could play around with her, like some sort of doll, and then throw her out when they got bored?

James had been the first person to treat her not like a delicate doll, but like the person she was. He had listened to her, sympathised with her, dreamed with her…He'd recognised her troubles when no one else had, and had pulled her back from the edge. And now…now, he hated her too.

_"…I should've let you _jump_…"_

He'd probably always hated her and pretended to be nice to her so he could glean information about Lucius and the Death Eaters from her. He'd pretended to enjoy her company and be attracted to her. He was a phoney and a fake, and she –

"Darling?"

Lily looked away from the window quickly, drawn out of her misery. The man standing before her was blurred by her tears and she hastily began to wipe them away.

"Darling?" Lucius repeated again, something close to concern flashing across his face. "Are you all right?"

"Y – Yes. I'm fine," Lily muttered, wiping her left cheek with the back of her hand. "Just – just a sad book, that's all…"

Lucius eyed her strangely and suddenly moved closer toward her, bending down beside her chair with actual concern etched onto his face. She stared at him, shocked.

"Lucius, are you feeling all right?" she asked, suddenly unbalanced by his show of concern and display of emotions in public. What was he playing at?

"I'm perfectly fine. _You're_ the one who's upset," he responded reasonably, setting his hands on her right arm gently. "Did Black cause this? If he did, I'll – "

"No! He didn't…I was telling the truth. This book is terribly sad." She held it up and he read the title, a frown forming on his face. "D – Did you need something?"

"Oh, right…" Lucius muttered, fixing her with his cool blue eyes. "Your sister wanted to know why you never showed up for lunch. I believe she told you that you were expected, did she not?"

"I – I wasn't hungry," Lily lied quickly, just as her stomach growled loudly. She blushed, hoping Lucius hadn't heard. The truth was, she had been too tied up in her anger and misery to remember anything, least of all a silly lunch date with her sister. "You weren't upset, were you?"

"I wasn't upset, but your sister seemed to be. She'd thought I had perhaps whisked you away to a romantic dinner for two," Lucius stated, humour showing in his eyes. Lily looked down at her hands, a sudden, inexplicable sadness filling her. Why did Lucius find the idea of them – together, alone – humorous?

"But don't fret about it," Lucius reassured, mistaking her loss of eye contact for shame. "I never showed up either."

"Well…I suppose I'd better go find her and apologise, then; otherwise she'll yell at me later," Lily said. She rose gracefully out of her chair, and Lucius followed her example, observing her with an obscure look on his face. "Thank you for finding me. I suppose I'll see you at dinner tonight."

She began to walk away from him without saying a proper goodbye. She wanted to get away from Lucius and the library as quickly as possible, for she was starting to feel quite ill when she was –

"Lily. Wait."

She halted, surprised by his soft tone, and turned, puzzlement written across her face. Hesitantly, he stepped forward and took one of her hands in his. His smooth, un-callused hand was a far cry from the rough and well-worked surface of James's hand. Holding Lucius's hand felt strange, almost foreign…

"I know that these past few days have been rough for you, and us. I meant for this to be a relaxing voyage that could bring us closer together, but all it seems to be doing is tearing us apart."

Lily suddenly felt very guilty. It wasn't his fault that this voyage wasn't going as smoothly as he had planned. It was all her and a charming steerage boy's fault.

There would be no steerage boy from now on, however. The part James Potter had in her life was finished. He had made his feelings very clear at their parting, and Lily was going to respect them, even though her heart screamed in protest.

"I want to make it up to you, Lily. Let's have dinner together tonight, just the two of us. No Petunia, no Tom, no distractions," he suggested, reaching out with his free hand to stroke her left cheek. She noticed he had avoided looking at her right cheek throughout their conversation. "What do you think? Would you like that?"

"A romantic dinner with the man I love?" she replied stiffly, her heart thudding painfully in her chest. She smiled, trying to feel happy, trying to feel _something_, but only came up with an empty nothingness. "Of course I'd like to."

He smiled, an actual smile for once, and kissed her on the forehead lightly.

"Perfect."

* * *

James stared up at the white ceiling of his cabin, following the welding lines and rivets with his eyes, trying to form patterns and keep his mind otherwise occupied. The cabin porthole was open and soft, cool breeze blew through constantly, often rattling the pages of Remus's open book on top of the chest of drawers. The soft rattling was the only other noise in the cabin besides James's low breathing and the steady hum of the engines far below.

He hadn't been looking for a quiet place to sit at first, because quiet meant that he would think, and the ability to think was the last he wanted right now. But in noisy, unbearably loud places, he'd been able to think. The general room had offered him no haven and the third class smoking room had fared no better. There was simply no place on this blasted ship that would allow him some peace of mind and give him sanctuary from his unpleasant thoughts.

At least, locked in the quiet of his cabin, James was safe from people. The noise and distraction the public areas offered could not offer him the privacy he wanted as well. Public areas meant people. People who wanted to know why he was suddenly quiet and moody, people who kept bothering him and brining up subjects he'd rather not discuss, people who annoyed him endlessly or tried to borrow – but never pay back – a few pounds off of him for the tenth time.

James had come to learn through his few years in life that humans were very stupid creatures. They betrayed and back-stabbed friends and family members; they were greedy and took the best for themselves, even if it hurt others; they got mad and yelled for no reason; they destroyed the one relationship that meant the most to them…

James had never before considered himself to be a 'stupid' person. Yes, he was rude, rash, arrogant, sometimes unkind, and a number of other unpleasant things, but he had never been _stupid_. Or, at least, he hadn't been until a few hours ago, when he'd let his temper get the best of him; when he'd let hateful words he hadn't meant come spewing from his lips; when he had been the one to make her cry…

He usually had such a good reign on his temper and he very rarely lost control of it. But she had made him so furious so quickly that he _snapped_.

He hadn't _meant_ to do it. He hadn't meant to scream at and insult her. He hadn't wanted to cause that look of anger, fear, and utter _disgust_ to cross her features. But it really didn't matter, simply because he had done it. He'd yelled at her for no reason. He was almost as bad as Malfoy.

Another wave of anger tore through James as he ripped the pillow out from under his head and threw it across the room, hitting the chest of drawers and knocking Remus's book off, onto the floor. He had been hoping to hit something breakable; that way there would be more than one broken object in the cabin.

He was mad at everything – himself for being a stupid prat, Lily for being stubborn and hypocritical, Malfoy for causing the whole damn mess in the first place…

James sat up and aimed a kick at Remus's trunk, imagining that it was Malfoy's fat face. It really didn't make him feel any better than before and the sharp pain now stemming from his toes only added to his anger.

_Bloody, bloody, **BLOODY** Malfoy!_

Why had she even _bothered_ to stick up for him? He was a ruthless, conniving spit of humanity who _hit_ her for Christ's sake! Why would she lie for him when everything thing he did hurt her in some way? Why had she gotten mad at him, _James_, for trying to point this out to her? _What was so bloody special about Malfoy?_

James leapt off his bed and began to pace to length of the room.

She was such a…a…he couldn't even find a word to describe her properly! It made him furious just to think about her, and it made him feel guilty, then, for all the things he had said, and it made him feel helpless and useless because he couldn't help her and he so desperately wanted to…

Sighing in exasperation and utter exhaustion, James halted his pacing and threw himself back onto his bed, burying his face in the mattress. He just wanted to go to sleep and forget that this day had ever happened –

"James? Are you in here?"

James groaned mightily and placed his hands over his ears, trying to block out the sound of Remus's voice. This was _just_ what he needed right now.

"James? I know you're in here; I asked the cabin neighbours and they heard you throwing things…Unlock the door, will you?"

The distant sound of the cabin door handle rattling and Remus's sharp knocking made James grit his teeth and stare even more determinedly at his mattress. He wasn't going to let Remus inside. If he did, Remus would then inquire to know what was wrong and James would have to listen to one of his I-told-you-so speeches. James believed he would shoot himself if he had to hear one of those right now.

"JAMES! If you don't open this door right now, I'll – "

"Go _away_, Remus!" James shouted, looking up and glaring at the door behind him. "I'm not in the mood to talk to you!"

There was an exasperated sigh on the other side of the door and the handle stopped its mad jiggling.

"You pompous arse! What in the world made you think that I came to the cabin just to talk to you? I'm going out on the Boat Deck for a while and I don't want to freeze, so I came here to get my coat! Trouble is, you have both the keys!"

"_Fine_," James grumbled vehemently, extracting himself from his bed.

He grabbed Remus's coat off the bedpost, walked over to the door, and flipped the lock. Before Remus could utter a word or have a good reaction, James threw the coat at him and slammed the door back shut, locking it once more.

There was another, agitated sigh from the other side of the door and then Remus asked, "What's wrong _now_?"

"You're talking to me – go away," James responded, sitting on the edge of his bed and glaring at the door. He was rather hoping Remus would sense his glare and begin to run for his life. "You said you didn't want to."

"Well, I've just realised that you're upset, so I figure I better stay in case you decide to do something stupid. I also don't have to meet Sigrid for another fifteen minutes," Remus's voice stated casually, as if having a conversation with a closed door was fairly normal between them. Which it was. "What happened between you and Lily this morning? Did she refuse your invitation to the party tonight, because Sirius told me that's what you were up – "

"I didn't even get _close_ to asking her," James said sourly, his glare heating up. "We had a little spat and I told her that I never wanted to see her again."

There was an abnormally long pause from the other side.

"You…_what_?"

"I told you to _go away_," James repeated. "I don't want to talk about it."

"You had a _fight_?" came the incredulous voice through the door. "Over _what_? You were on such good terms _yesterday_ – "

"Well, _yesterday,"_ James spat back acidly, "she didn't have a bloody bruise on her face!"

Another pregnant pause greeted James's ears.

"Oh."

Remus's reply was so soft, James wasn't even sure if he had said anything at all.

"Yes, '_oh_.' She had this huge bruise on her face and had the nerve to tell me that she had gotten it by running into a door. A _door_, Remus!" James felt his temper rising again and he leapt off his bed, trying to find something he could throw before he went insane. "And then – _then_ she starts acting like I'm below her and treats me like I stepped in something disgusting…all because I care about what Malfoy is doing to her! The stupid, stuck up…And you know how angry I can get and I just _lost_ it. My temper took control and…and…" James paused and leaned against the cabin door, feeling tired and guilty again. "I yelled at her and called her horrible things that I didn't mean. I told her that…that I never wanted to see her again…By the time I realised what I'd done, she'd gone back to the first class and I couldn't do anything…" James stared at his hands despondently. "I was such a horrible bastard…She must hate me, Remus."

"What difference does it make if she hates you now or not?" Remus replied rather insensitively. "This relationship of yours was doomed from the start, and you know that. I'm just glad it ended before either of you got seriously hurt from it."

"You don't understand, Moony," James muttered, rubbing his eyes with his fingers tiredly.

"What don't I understand, Prongs? I've had plenty of failed relationships before and all of them have been far more serious than yours. If anything, I understand what you're feeling better than you do yourself."

"No, you don't! Lily's relationship and mine was…_different_ from any of yours. I've seen your relationships, and trust me; this…_thing_ we had wasn't like anything I've seen or been a part of before," James tried to explain, feeling lost in his emotions. "It's this strange thing that I can't even explain properly…I mean, how can someone anger, annoy, and excite you all at the same time?"

James heard Remus sigh again, and he was sure the other man was about ready to beat his head on the door in frustration by now.

"Prongs, the only advice I can give you is to just _forget_ about Lily. I know she meant a lot to you, probably a lot more than I'll ever understand, but there's no use dwelling on the impossible. You and Lily are finished, and you're going to have to accept that fact." Remus paused briefly and then continued, a reminiscing quality to his voice. "Remember what Dumbledore told us that one summer, right before fifth year? 'It doesn't do to dwell on dreams – '"

" – and forget to live," James finished, smiling half-heartedly at the memory. "Of course I remember…"

But _forget_ about Lily? How could he forget about the one girl who had affected him like no other? How could he just _ignore_ the memories of her and the feelings that thinking about her stirred deep within him? Could _anyone_ forget about something like that?

Remus was right, however. Why _should _he keep dwelling on her? She clearly didn't want to deal with _his_ sort any more. James felt bitterness and anger begin to well up inside him again, but he didn't bother to try and fight it. He didn't need Lily bloody Evans. In fact, it would probably be best if he never saw her again…She and her husband-to-be only caused trouble.

"You go ahead and I'll see you at dinner. I need to think about what you said."

* * *

The empty feeling Lucius's proclamation had given her had yet to go away, and had only seemed to increase in severity as the afternoon had worn on. She felt like she had a terrible stomachache, and every time she thought of Lucius, it made her feel even worse, sometimes to the point where she wanted to throw up.

She had tried to make herself feel some other sort of emotion toward him or just anything at all, but there was nothing. No anger, no love, no fear, no _anything_. At all. It felt like she was the doll everyone treated her as, her head just as empty and her heart as non-existent.

When she had told Petunia of hers and Lucius's dinner arrangement, she had desperately tried to feel the happiness she was feigning…But it never came. There was simply nothing there for her to feel and she couldn't understand why. Why couldn't she feel for the man she was about to marry? What was stopping her from feeling and caring about her fiancé?

It seemed, however, that this emotional turmoil was only affecting her feelings for Lucius. She had no problem feeling emotions towards anyone else. She got annoyed with Petunia, Sirius made her feel disgusted, Tom made her uncomfortable; and a certain man with a shock of black hair stirred up a tidal wave of emotions she shouldn't have been feeling at all.

Anger, of course, had been the most prominent among them. Anger because his words had stung like sharp needles. Anger that he could betray and use her like that…But her angry wasn't only directed at him. Some of her anger was directed at herself for losing her temper and acting like the child everyone treated her as. Some of it was directed at Lucius for being the way he was, Sirius for arranging their meeting, Petunia for letting her go with Sirius…

The inexplicable sadness had come after her anger had worn out. It stemmed mostly from his harsh words and the sense of betrayal it brought along with it. She had trusted him more…more than she had trusted anyone in her life, and he had been playing with her. The thought of never seeing him again or being hated by him added to her sorrow, causing her more tears than all the other thoughts combined.

But the most surprising emotion had been that of guilt.

At first, Lily didn't know why _she_ had been feeling guilty. She had been the victim in this situation. After all, _she_ hadn't told James to go jump off the back of the ship. _She_ hadn't called him pathetic or cowardly. She hadn't accused him of being a hypocrite.

But…But she had called him rude and idiotic. She had accused him of slandering Lucius and of being too nosy. She had treated him like a dirty street urchin, unfit to be in her presence.

As she had dwelled more and more on it, and replayed the incident over and over in her mind, she'd come to realise that she was at fault more than James was. He had only said some of those things in response to _her_ attacks. He'd only been trying to help her and had cared enough about her to keep pestering her about her injury, and what had she done? She'd returned his concern with childish insults and rudeness. She'd let her stubborn pride get in the way and had continued to anger him until he had enough of her childish behaviour.

And that was no one's fault but her own.

* * *

"Are you all right, darling?"

Lily looked up and across the table at her fiancée, pulling her head out of her thoughts.

Lucius had managed to secure a small, secluded table in the À la Carte restaurant for this evening. It hadn't been that difficult to manage, as most of the passengers had gone to the dining saloon to show off. It was Saturday, which meant it was the last practical day to display your finest attire before it was packed away. _Titanic_ docked in less than three days and no one wanted to be caught putting (or wearing) a ₤1000 dress away minutes before docking.

As a result, Lily was once again wearing the Malfoy necklace, though hardly anyone would see it and it didn't match her bright blue dress at all. Lucius hadn't put as much of a fight over the colour of dress like he had the night before, which was rather surprising.

"Oh, yes. Yes. I'm fine," she replied, smiling vapidly. "Why do you ask?"

"You just seem a little…glum tonight, that's all," Lucius replied, taking a sip from his water glass.

"I'm glad you noticed," Lily shot back, her smile sliding off her face. Her comment had been a little icier than she had intended, but she found that she really didn't care.

His eyes narrowed and she looked away, her gaze directed at a potted plant. She wished the waiters would hurry and bring something that could distract her. Dinners with Lucius never used to be this tension filled, but that had been before, when she was a naive little girl, before she had learned to fear the man she loved.

"Does your glum attitude have anything to do with you meeting with that _Potter _today?"

Lily tore her gaze away from the plant and stared at Lucius in shock. He was simply observing her, head resting calmly on his hands, but his eyes were ablaze with anger. How had he…what…who…?

"W-Who told you that?" she stuttered, disbelief flowing through her. If Sirius had gone back on his word, she would kill –

"It was no single person. Several people have approached me and told me they saw you talking with him as they walked out on the Boat Deck," Lucius explained, his voice deadly. His gaze was unnerving. "This is a rather funny story, seeing as though young Sirius Black informed me otherwise. He claimed that you had gone back inside after he had finished conversing with you…Now, whose side of the story is correct?"

Lily breathed deeply through her nose and stared at the delicate china in front of her, trying to think. If she told Lucius that Sirius's story was correct, the consequences would be dire. He had witnesses this time, several of them, and he knew that she would be lying…But telling the truth would also lead to severe consequences, because she would have to admit to seeing James. She didn't want a repeat of last night, but there was no way out.

"Obviously, Mr. Black got his details confused slightly. He and I both walked away at the same time – I don't think he ever saw where I was going. He must have assumed that – "

"That still doesn't explain how you ended up with him. I though we had cleared this…_business_ up with our talk last night."

His voice finally betrayed the anger that he was feeling, but it was nothing to the fear that suddenly gripped Lily. Why had she agreed to a dinner alone with him? Hadn't she learned her lesson?

"I didn't plan our meeting on purpose, if that's what you're suggesting," she stated, reaching for her own glass with a shaking hand. "I was leaning on the rail overlooking the third class and I suppose he saw me from down below, so he climbed up to talk to me. I tried to ignore him, but he persisted. I told him that I wouldn't allow it and he…he got angry with me. We exchanged a few heated words and we parted company, for good."

"I see," Lucius replied slowly, sitting back in his chair, his anger at bay for the moment. "Well, I really can't tell which of your stories is more delightful _or_ believable. The propeller fabrication of yours does have its merits."

Lily nearly dropped her water glass in surprise and she gaped at him. He stared back, looking like the perfect handsome and elegant man, not at all showing his cruel, nasty side that she knew all too well.

"Lucius, _you_ – "

"Oh, Lucius Malfoy! Hello!"

Lily looked away from Lucius's cold eyes and turned around in her chair, just as a young couple approached their table from behind. The young man was British by his accent and had brownish-blond hair, and the woman was a very pretty blonde. Lily didn't know either of them, but Lucius did.

"Johnson!" he exclaimed, placing his napkin on the table and rising from his chair to greet the young man. "Why, I haven't seen you since our meeting in January. How are things?"

"Splendid, of course. And yourself?" Johnson replied courteously. He glanced briefly at Lily out of the corner of his eye and then turned his attention back to Lucius.

Lucius muttered a reply and the both of them laughed, but Lily wasn't paying attention to them. She could a feel a headache coming on, undoubtedly caused by the lack of food in her stomach. She rubbed her temples wearily, wishing she could just go to sleep.

" – you busy at the moment? Arberry and Kingston are waiting for us at our table, but I'm sure they'd be delighted to speak with you."

"Of course. I'm not busy," Lucius responded casually, stepping away from the table and pushing his chair back in. "I'd be more than happy to oblige you all – "

"Lucius!" Lily exclaimed, dropping her hand and fixing her fiancé with an incredulous stare. "Not busy? We're having dinner, for Christ's sake!"

The couple shared a scandalised look at her use of language, and Lucius glared at her.

"Lily, the first course hasn't even started yet. This won't take long – "

"But, you said – "

"I'll be back before the second course even starts," Lucius promised, exasperated. "Just wait here. This is important."

"More important than me?"

Lucius pretended not to hear her. He walked off down the aisle with the couple, laughing jovially with the young man and disappeared into the other side of the room. Lily stared after them, wondering – as she always did – what was wrong with her…

* * *

The tables had been pushed back against the wall, and the room was now crowded with loud, rambunctious people, most with a smoke or drink in hand. The piano had been shoved back in the corner, a group of people playing cards on its surface, while taking the piano's spot was an impromptu band that had started out with two members and now had six or so. They were the centre of attention, belting out a fast, Irish tune that had the majority of the people in the room on their feet and dancing.

People of all ethnic origins and age were dancing around the room, doing whatever dance that suited them. Some were trying to dance in an organised way, while others just improvised to the beat of the music. Several couples and dancers had gotten up on the two platforms around the room, showing off their skills to the observers, who applauded and whooped in approval.

The beat was so infectious that even James, who was in the most foul and sour mood he'd been in for several weeks, was tapping his foot in time. Tapping his feet was about the closest thing he was going to get to dancing tonight because he had not wanted to come down here in the first place. He had _wanted_ to go sulk poetically in his cabin, but Remus had had enough of that behaviour out of him. Remus had grabbed him after dinner and, with the help of two burly young men, forced him to sit down and mope in public.

_"You need to get your mind off Lily and this is how you're going to start."_

Remus's first instructions had been quite clear, but before he had a chance to lecture James even more, he had been dragged away by an overly excited Sigrid. Remus wasn't normally a dancing sort of person, but Sigrid had kept him busy and the last time James had seen the two of them had been five minutes ago. James had glowered as they whirled by, Remus laughing with excitement.

Remus had been wrong about this bloody party from the start; this was the _last_ thing that would get his mind off Lily. James knew she would've enjoyed this excitement, knew she would've loved dancing and being free to be herself for just a night…And that only made trying to push her out of her mind harder. The thought of Lily being happy – _in his arms_ – made the whole idea of forgetting about her too terrible to imagine.

James eyed the full glass of beer in front of him and reached for it. Maybe alcohol would make the idea a little easier to stomach.

"_Jaaaamessss_!"

James snorted into his beer and quickly put it down, wiping the froth off his face as he did so. He turned in his chair, spotting the disturbance of his peace. Aileen Kiernan was bounding toward him, her poor mother a few feet behind her, looking as though she had just finished a marathon.

"Hallo, Aileen, Mrs. Kiernan," James greeted, a small, pained smile crossing his lips as he picked Aileen up and set her on his lap. Seeing Aileen reminded him of Lily and – Christ, would he _never_ be free of her?

"Good…evenin' to ya, Mr…Mr. Potter," Mrs. Kiernan huffed, breathing heavily and placing a hand over her heart. James set Aileen down and jumped out of his seat immediately, offering it to the exhausted woman.

"Have my seat, Mrs. Kiernan. You have a rest. I'll watch Aileen for a little while."

"Oh no, Mr. Potter," Mrs. Kiernan protested, her eyes widening. "I…couldn't do that to ya! You don't have to waste your night with Aileen – don't have some other lass to attend to?"

There was a suggestive hint in the older woman's eyes and James knew at once she was referring to Lily. Bloody hell, did everyone have to keep reminding him of her?

"Nope," James responded, shaking his head. "Those older lasses are too uptight for me. Isn't that right, Aileen?"

"Right!" the girl squealed, swinging on James's right arm. "Let's play a game James!"

"All right," James agreed, winking at her mother as he led Aileen away from the table and into the middle of the general room. "What game do you want to play?"

"Tag!" she cried, hitting James on the leg. "And you're It!"

She let go of James's arm and scampered away, disappearing into the crowd. James waited a few moments before going after her, giving her a good head start. A game of tag with an excitable little girl was just the distraction he needed. He found her after a few minutes, spotting her golden curls under one of the tables.

"Gotcha!" he exclaimed, touching her lightly on the shoulder. Aileen shrieked and quickly hit him back before running off again.

This sort of exchanged happened three or four more times, and Aileen was showing no signs of wearing out. James occasionally lost sight of her in the crowd for minutes at a time, but this was no concern to him. Nearly everyone here knew that if they messed with Aileen, they'd be messing with James Potter and his fist.

After stepping on quite a few toes and sliding in-between offended dance partners, James once again caught sight of the little bundle of energy. She was hopping up the main staircase, leading up to the well deck and away from the safety of the party. James frowned, knowing he should've limited their game to just the general room, and began to hurry over to the staircase.

He pushed past two drunk Irishmen, who called him a bunch of foul names, and climbed up the stairs two at a time. His fears about Aileen running off into another corridor and getting lost were squashed when her high-pitched giggling reached his ears.

"Aileen, you need to come back down here right now. I'm not going to chase you all over the – oh."

James paused at the top of the stairs, his scolding dying on his lips. Standing by the gate with Aileen by her side was the last person James had expected _or_ wanted to see.

"Look, James!" Aileen crowed in excitement. "Miss Lily can play our game as well!"

* * *

Lily had been standing by the gate for quite some time, indecision coursing through her. The laughter and music down below had sparked her curiosity, but she didn't want to go down there in case she saw James down there, happy and dancing with another girl…

It would serve her right if he was. James was a wonderful person, and deserved someone who wasn't engaged or temperamental or _stupid_. He needed someone who wasn't like her at all…After all, what kind of man wanted a pathetic little girl who held onto a man who didn't give a damn about her?

Lucius had left her sitting at their table in the À la Carte restaurant.

It was as simple as that. She'd waited around for him, waited like a little puppy did for the master that would never return, eating four solitary courses, and enduring the stares and whispers of the nearby passengers.

_"Where'd Evans's fiancé get off too?"_

_"Do you honestly care? Personally, if I was Lucius, I'd leave her too."_

_"Disgusting, isn't it? How can he marry someone like _that_? I'd shoot myself before we even got down the aisle."_

_"I suppose that's what she gets, cavorting with a steerage man like that. Poor Lucius…"_

Fed up and terribly distraught, she'd left before the fifth course had started. It had been early when she'd left, only eight o'clock, which meant that very few people had witnessed her desperate and unladylike sprint down the C-deck corridor and to her stateroom.

She'd only stayed in the stateroom long enough to tear her earrings out of her ears and rip the Malfoy necklace off, throwing latter carelessly onto her vanity top and scratching the largest emerald in the process. She'd left afterward, not bothering to put the jewels away, and had wandered outside, away from anything that reminded her of Lucius.

Somehow, she had ended up out near the stern, a few levels above the area where she and James had met earlier. As she had stared out over the deserted poop deck, rubbing her arms with her bare hands for warmth, that overwhelming sense of guilt had returned, reminding her of how very wrong she had been and how James had been right, about everything…

Not only was Lucius a right bastard, but she was also as every bit as pathetic and hopeless as James had said. She had waited around for Lucius when she had known with every fibre of her being that he wasn't coming back. She'd defended the man who wouldn't even bat an eyelash when someone insulted her. She'd offended the only person who had really cared about her in favour for someone who hit her.

James had been right and the least she could do was try to apologise for yelling at him. And if he didn't want her apology, she'd accept that and move on with her life. So, she'd gathered up her courage and made her way to the steerage general room, hoping to start looking for him there.

Her courage had only taken her to the main steps before it faltered and left her standing where she was now. A few of the steerage passengers had passed by, some of them recognising her and smiling, but she hadn't dared go down the steps. If James was down there, she didn't want to cause a scene in front of all those people and ruin their night…Maybe she'd try tomorrow or –

"Miss Lily!"

The little girl she and James had watched yesterday was running toward her, a big, toothy smile on her face. Her blond hair was bouncing all over the place and the sight of her made Lily smile just a bit.

"Hello, Miss Aileen," Lily replied, bending down to Aileen's level. The little girl threw her arms around Lily's neck, hugging her in excitement. She laughed. "Well, I'm glad you still like me."

"Miss Lily, you look so pretty!" Aileen exclaimed, her eyes widening at the sight of Lily's evening gown. "Just like a princess!"

"I can assure you, Aileen, that I'm no princess. I don't even have a crown!" Lily responded, standing up straight and looking down at the little girl. She made a face, causing the young girl to giggle in delight. "Have you ever heard of princess that makes faces and plays tag with little girls?" Aileen shook her head, captivated by Lily. "What're you doing up here by yourself anyway, Aileen? Does your mum – "

"Aileen, you need to come back down here right now. I'm not going to chase you all over the – oh."

Lily looked up, the smile sliding right off her face.

* * *

Who did she think she was, showing up down here, still dressed in her dinner finery? What gave her the right to prance around like she owned the place after she'd treated him like that? What made her think she could even show up down here at _all_? They didn't want her; _he_ certainly didn't want her. Or so he tried to convince himself.

James strode forward, an angry frown on his face. Lily looked nervous, her gaze settling on anything but him. All her comments from earlier came flooding back to him; couldn't she at least have the dignity to treat him like a person in his own class?

The emotions rising in him at the sight of her also fuelled his anger. His heart had skipped a beat or two when he'd seen her smiling; longing had welled up inside him as he had taken in her beautiful light blue dress; concern coming at the sight of the bruise on her face. But he had forced those and others down quickly. His emotions toward her didn't matter any more.

"Aileen, why don't you take a break from our game and go find your mum?" James suggested in short, clipped tones. He looked down at the little girl instead of at Lily. "_Miss Evans_ and I have some grown-up things to talk about."

"Oh, _all right_," Aileen huffed, letting go of Lily's hand to cross her arms over her chest. She stomped over to the staircase, a pout on her face, and scampered down the stairs. James watched her until she disappeared into the crowd and then turned back to face Lily.

She was clearly uncomfortable, wringing her hands together and looking over his shoulder instead of into his eyes. A tense silence settled between them, as James glared and Lily avoided his eyes.

"Did you forget an insult you wanted to throw at me?" James asked at last, breaking the silence. His words were harsh and he intended them to be that way. Her eyes flashed with _something_, but James ignored it. "Because I thought we agreed to never see each other again."

"Look, James…I – " she began, fumbling.

"Oh? So now we're back at a first name basis?" he interrupted scathingly, folding his arms over his chest in an intimidating way. "What did old Lucius do now to make you come crawling back to me so you can unload your misery – "

"I never _crawled_ to you," she snapped, finally meeting his gaze with a fiery glare. "And I never asked you to take an active role in my personal life. _You _started it by telling me not to jump."

James's frown deepened, knowing she was right.

"Like I said before, I should've let you jump. Would've been best for everyone," he responded, the words flying out of his mouth before he could stop himself. He regretted it instantly.

Lily simply wilted before him, the life going out of her. Her shoulders slumped despondently and her confident aura slipped away, leaving her vulnerable. The fire in her eyes went out and she looked down at her feet, ashamed. James's heart pinged violently, and he reached out a hand, ignoring every protest his brain was sending him.

"I – "

She shrugged away his hand and looked up at him again, her eyes filled with despair and misery.

"You're right," she said simply.

James stared at her, taken aback. He hadn't been expecting that, least of all from someone as proud as Lily.

"I'm – _What?_" he repeated, at a loss for words.

"You're right. You've always been right, about everything – my bruise, Lucius, me…" she muttered, looking up at him. Her eyes were watery, full of pain, and it wasn't because he had injured her pride. "I realised it during dinner tonight, after Lucius – but what does that matter? You don't want to know…" She shook herself. "I came down here to apologise to you, yet I can see that it wouldn't do any good…I knew you wouldn't want my apology in the first place." She laughed wretchedly, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "And I can't blame you, either. Who wants to accept an apology from a pathetic, conceited little girl anyway?"

James's chest constricted and an overwhelming wave of guilt crashed over him. He'd hurt her, in more ways than he cared to imagine. His words had wounded her more than anything Malfoy could throw at her. He had made her believe she was worthless, he had made her feel like rubbish, _he_ had shattered her…

And she had come down here to apologise – to him! He hadn't even given her the chance, jumping to conclusions and insulting her instead of trying to listen.

It was like the morning incident all over again.

"Lily, I – "

"I understand," she interrupted, taking a few steps back from him. "And I'll go…You have better things to do than listen to me whinge. I'm sure there's another girl waiting for you downstairs – "

"No, Lily – " he began, reaching out for her.

She was already gone, bunching her skirts up and running down the corridor to their left, toward the staircase near the end of the corridor.

James stared after her, his feet frozen to the floor. His brain didn't seem to be processing anything that had just happened. She was running away from _him_, she was going back to her world without question this time, and he was just _letting her go_…

The idea of forgetting about her and moving on was suddenly the stupidest idea he'd ever had in his life.

His feet were moving and he was tearing after her, heart pounding desperately against his chest. He couldn't let her get away; not like this, not again.

"Lily – _wait_ – " he called, reaching the base of the stairs. But she was already on the next flight, her heeled shoes banging against the metal and there was no indication that she had heard him.

Without hesitation, he followed her up the stairs, skipping two at a time to catch up with her. He slipped on a stair, slamming his knee hard on the surface, but he shot back up instantly, hopping unevenly on his feet.

He was so _fucking_ stupid. He'd done it again, letting his anger and pigheadedness take control, causing him to say idiotic and hurtful things. Wasn't hurting her once enough? If he hadn't been so blind, if he'd just kept his temper in check and listened to her –

Panic seized him as he heard a door bang open a flight above and he quickened his pace even further. It was serve him right if she got away; he didn't deserve someone like her…But he wouldn't be able to stand if he lost her, if he never got to tell her – his heart contracted painfully. He had been given another chance, _dammit _–

"LILY!"

He burst out onto the poop deck, the cold air taking his breath away and fogging up his glasses. He looked around frantically for her, the dim lighting on the ship making it hard for him to see anything. He spotted her after a moment, running toward another staircase and back toward her world.

James was in motion again, running harder than he had ever run in his lifetime. His lungs burned and his legs protested from the effort, but he continued after her, ignoring everything. His long legs gave him an advantage over her dress and heels, and he caught up to her in moments. He reached out a hand and grabbed her shoulder –

She whirled around and stopped running, nearly causing James to run into her. She stood there, staring at him, her chest heaving and breathing heavy. Her eyes were red and moist, her cheeks marked by tear trails. She sniffled every so often between pants, trembling from the cold. 

James knew he looked no better, with his glasses all fogged up and his breathing just as hard as hers. The knee he had fallen on was throbbing from pain, but he didn't care at all.

They stood there and stared at each other for the longest time, trying to catch their breath and reading the others expressions. James's hand still on her shoulder, and they were so close, so very close…

"Lily," he breathed at last, his glasses finally clear again. "Lily, I'm the one who should be – "

"Shut up, James," she responded, reading his intentions. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, still staring at him. "Where will apologising lead us?"

"I don't know," James responded, truthfully. He stepped closer, his hand moving from her shoulder and onto her cheek.

They stood there, a silence settling once again. James looked at her and into her eyes, knowing what she was thinking, knowing that she could do the same as well. They didn't have to speak to get their message across and in that long moment of silence, everything ill that had passed between them was forgotten or pushed further back into the recesses of their minds.

"I'll have to go back to Lucius," she murmured at last, staring up at him. He wound his hands in her hair, bringing her closer to him. "This was over before it even began."

She was leaning against his chest, her arm wrapped around his waist, clutching his threadbare coat tightly. She was shivering and her hand shook slightly as she reached up to touch his cheek.

"I don't care," he said.

And then he kissed her.

* * *

Thanks for reading and please review. I welcome any comments at my livejournal (greenconverses), which is where I post chapter reports and snippets from upcoming chapters. Until next time! 


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Author's notes:** Hello all! I've got another update for you! Surprisingly, this chapter only took me a month or so to write! Just to be stupid, I pushed myself to finish on either the day this chapter takes place (April 13th) or the sinking day, I'm proud to say that I pushed my obsessiveness to a new height by finishing on April 13th.

_Anyway_, I'm extremely happy with this chapter, possibly the happiest I've ever been with a chapter for Nothing on Earth. I think that may have something to do with all the Lily/James scenes in the chapter, buuut I could just be imagining things. A thanks goes out to everyone who reviewed (I noticed that I got more and newer reviewers when I had a kissing scene, so I made sure to have _lots_ of kisses in this chapter.), and to my wonderful beta, AmethystPhoenix.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Harry Potter or James Cameron's _Titanic_.

**Chapter Fourteen**

_10:15 PM_

R.M.S. Titanic 

The sky was an inky black and unnaturally clear that night. Thousands upon thousands of stars stretched across the heavens like diamonds from a split jewellery box. Amongst the bright Milky Way, a small sliver of moon could be spotted, barely illuminating the world below with its pale glow.

The night was quiet and cold, almost as distant as the stars overhead. A soft, cool breeze would occasionally rake through the deck, disturbing whatever was in its path. The soft hum of the engines and the splash of the churning waters below the stern were the only noises that could be heard apart for the occasional sound of human activity. The deck was dark and deserted, the only light coming from the few electric lights on deck.

A haze of smoke obscured the sky momentarily, before it was blown away by rushing air. James lowered the cigarette from his lips, the end glowing brilliantly, and let it hang over the side of the bench clenched loosely between his two fingers. He stared up at the stars, his mind at ease for the first time in this long week.

"She walks in beauty, like the night, of cloudless climes and starry skies, and all that's best of dark and bright…" he murmured suddenly, not taking his eyes off the brilliant world above, "meet in her aspect and her eyes – "

"Thus mellowed to that tender light which heaven to gaudy day denies," Lily finished, burying her head in his chest. "Lord Byron…a favourite of yours, I presume?"

"I preferred Tennyson, actually. I'm surprised you knew that poem, considering you were thrown out of school."

"Oh, shut up," she responded, hitting him on the chest. "Just because I didn't finish school doesn't mean I'm stupid or that I don't know basic literature."

"This reminds me of school, you know…" James mumbled, his mind wandering. "When I was upset or angry at Dumbledore, I used to go out by the lake at night and lie on the shore, just so I could stare at the stars. I'd lay out there all night, just thinking and looking at the sky…I improved my Astronomy grade so much, the professor started to wonder if I was cheating off of Sirius."

"…This reminds me of my father," Lily whispered softly. "When I was younger, we used to sit in his study late at night, and talk…He'd always light up a cigar while we were together and once, he let me have a puff. After he died, I'd sit in his study and smell the scent of his cigars…It lingered for a few months, but then it disappeared and I started to smoke until Lucius made me quit, to make up for that particular absence in my life."

James pulled Lily closer to his chest comfortingly, knowing the despair of remembering a lost parent brought on, but at the same time wanting to be nearer to this amazing person. He learned something new and exciting about her every second, and it only made her seem even more brilliant.

"My father and Lucius never got along well, even after they had known each other for a time," Lily continued, her hand snaking up into James's hair. "They didn't agree on anything – especially where I was concerned – and were as different as you could possibly imagine. Daddy…well, I suppose he _knew_ what kind of person Lucius was, but he didn't try to stop our relationship until Mum persuaded him to. He always wanted to make me happy."

"He sounded like a fantastic person."

"He was," Lily affirmed. "And…I think he would've liked you if I had brought you home to meet him instead."

"Really?" James asked, feeling a swell of pride at the thought of Lily's father favouring him, a lowly street urchin, over the wealthy, aristocratic Malfoy.

"Yes. Tennyson was his favourite as well."

James laughed low in his throat and kissed her lightly on the forehead.

* * *

They were sharing a bench, staring at the stars, and clinging to each other like their very lives depended on it. 

Lily was curled into James, her head on his chest, and her arms wrapped around his slim waist. She was wearing his long overcoat, keeping him warm with her body heat. Her legs were tangled in his, feet were clad only in stockings and her heeled shoes on the deck.

One of his arms was wrapped protectively around her shoulders, the fingers on the hand playing with the hair that had come loose from their pins. His chin rested upon the top of her head, and his strong chest rose up and down evenly as he breathed in the cool night air.

Lily had finally discovered the place where she belonged – in James Potter's arms. It was like they had been made for each other, moulded so they could fit perfectly together when they found each other. Lying with James, touching him, being with him, _kissing_ him – it all felt so right, so natural. She'd never felt this – this _complete_ before…and to think, her stubborn pride had almost ruined it all.

When James finally kissed her, her knees had buckled beneath her and she'd had to throw her arms around his neck for support. It had been the most passionate kiss she had ever received, until, of course, he kissed her a few more times.

James's kisses were_ incredible_. His lips were so warm and soft and sweet, like a delicate piece of chocolate. It had felt wonderful and had sent tingles straight to her toes, like a proper kiss should. She had been light-headed after he'd pulled away and it wasn't just from the lack of oxygen.

They'd shared three kisses afterward, each one more fervent than the last, right in the open deck, before James had enough sense to suggest they find a more private place to continue. Neither of them had wanted to go back inside, so they had found a dark, secluded bench near the edge of the stern, and sat down. Eventually, the sitting turned into laying, and they were soon curled up like long-time lovers, except they weren't…lovers, that is.

Lily didn't know _what_ to call their relationship. They'd gone past casual friends, but they weren't lovers nor were they – or could ever be – a couple. What were they? Two lonely individuals looking for comfort from their harsh worlds? Friends who kissed each other with wild abandon? Two souls who found their match far too late?

She didn't even know how she _felt_ about James, so how could she go about labelling them as lovers or soul mates? Yes, she cared about him deeply and she thoroughly enjoyed his kisses, but she didn't _love_ him. She _couldn't_ love him; people only fell in love in three days in dramas and tragedies. This was life. The last time she had convinced herself that she was in love with someone hadn't turned out well at all.

But James was different. He made her heart flutter and her knees weak with just a casual glance her way. He made her feel important with one of his stupid lopsided smiles. His opinions and comments affected her, driving her to tears one time and causing her to laugh until her sides ached the next time. He apologised when he hurt her, showing that he genuinely cared about her. She didn't _have_ to convince herself that she could possibly spend the rest of her life with this man.

Yet, she didn't _know_ him, not really. She knew some basic facts and his brief history, but that was about it. Here she was, baring her soul, but his parents' names were a complete mystery to her as were simple things such as his favourite colour or sport. She didn't know what made him angry (though she had a rather vivid idea), sad, or happy…She didn't know his birthday; hell, she didn't even know how _old _he was either.

The problem was, even though she knew next to nothing about James, she still felt for him more than any other person she had known. She cared for him deeply, and the extent of her feelings honestly scared her. It had taken her months to find anything with Lucius, and those feelings couldn't even _compare_ to the way she felt about James.

How could it be possible to care for someone so much that you'd sacrifice everything for him? How could her – her feelings towards James make her want to throw away everything she knew and run away with him? Why did these feelings make her crumble under his gaze or her heart break at the thought of never being able to be with him? Was this _love_?

Even if she did love James (and she most certainly _did not_), she didn't know how he felt about her. He probably didn't even feel the same way, just pretending to care or using her for his own needs. He had demonstrated this morning that his feelings were quick to chance and, after all, what normal lad would ignore a distressed girl willing to be kissed and touched? What if she was just _another_ girl, a fling to brag to his mates about? What if she didn't matter to him _at all_?

Lily sat up suddenly, pulling James's fingers violently out of her hair and giving him a good startle.

"Lily?" he asked, concern immediate in his tone. Following her motions, he sat up and stared at her. "Is there something wrong? Have I done – "

"How do you feel about me, James?" she asked, staring at him desperately. The wind was cool, blowing her hair every which way, and she pulled James's coat closer to her body.

"What?" he replied, a mix of confusion in his eyes.

"Do you care about me, James? Am I somebody important to you or just another girl that you're going to forget about as soon as _Titanic_ reaches New York – "

"Shh," James muttered, placing a silencing finger on her lips. "Of course I care about you Lily; I wouldn't have come running after you if I didn't…and you're not just 'another girl' to me. I don't know what you are, but you're something…something I can't even describe properly."

"How do you feel about me?" she pressed again, moving his finger away from her lips and holding it captive in her hand. She was asking a lot of him and crossing several social barriers. Men weren't supposed to talk about their feelings; it was a sign of weakness, after all. "Is there anything?"

"Well, I kissed you without tossing up my dinner, didn't I?" James joked, his hazel eyes dancing humorously for a moment. "But, seriously…I – I don't know _how_ I feel about you. It's a mix of things, really…You make me laugh, you excite me, you annoy me, you make me feel absolutely incredible when I _do_ kiss you…But most of all, I think, you make me feel things I've never felt before…When you went running off tonight, I was scared – _terrified_ that I'd never see you again, and that thought alone tore me up inside…" His arm snaked around her neck and shoulders, pulling her close to him once more, and "Whenever I'm around you, I feel like the luckiest man alive and I can never have enough of you. If I were to be bold, I could say that I love you – "

Lily's breath caught in her throat, and she stared up at him, not daring to believe –

" – but that's positively absurd. Who's ever heard of someone falling in love in three days?"

"Of course…absurd," Lily echoed after a moment, her heart aching from a thought that she herself had condemned moments earlier.

* * *

Sirius was getting tired of playing card games. Since he'd begun to associate with Malfoy and Riddle, he had exhausted his knowledge of cards and enthusiasm for playing with them. He was currently nearing the point where he would shoot himself if he ever saw a card deck again. Unfortunately for him, Malfoy and Riddle's favourite pastime – besides discussing their plans for world domination – seemed to be playing every card game known to man. Sirius had grown bored and broke from it ages ago. 

He had currently opted to stay out their latest game of hearts, causing a bit of grumbling from Riddle, who seemed to delight in taking Sirius's money away from him. He was watching the pair of them now, hardly talking because it ruined their concentration.

Riddle was chewing on a cigar like he normally did, his brow furrowed in thought, and his grey eyes darting over his hand, while Malfoy was more at ease, gazing steadily at his hand and only glancing up when Riddle's cigar twitched. They were involved in a stand-off for the last play of the game and their tableau had been like this for the past five minutes or so. Absentmindedly, Sirius gazed down at his fingernails, examining them with some scrutiny. His nails were dirty, as he liked them, and a bit on the long side for he hadn't clipped them in ages. He had a nasty hangnail on his right thumb that had been bothering him since last Thursday –

"Ah, you win again," Malfoy declared suddenly, folding his hand and placing the cards face up on the table with an exasperated look on his face.

Sirius spat his thumb out of his mouth, pretending that he had been paying rapt attention instead of trying to chew off his hangnail.

Malfoy lazily slipped a fiver over toward Riddle, who folded it and stuffed it away in his jacket pocket almost greedily. He then signalled a waiter over to refill his empty brandy glass.

Riddle took his cigar out of his mouth and balanced it between his fingers with precision, before glancing at Malfoy and striking up some conversation to ease his fourth loss in a row.

"I heard you had a talk with that eager lad from the January meeting at dinner. What was his name again? Jemson? Johnstone?"

Sirius had begun to notice that Riddle was terrible with names, especially names of those that didn't concern him in the slightest.

"_Johnson_," Malfoy corrected, taking a sip of his newly refreshed brandy.

"Yes, of course," Riddle replied, waving it off casually. "I suppose he was still interested then?"

"Of course. He had me talking non-stop at his table tonight and asked all sorts of questions," Malfoy said, rolling his eyes. "He had a full table of people interested and I think I delivered an offer that they _couldn't_ refuse."

Riddle smirked that snake-like smirk he had and motioned for Malfoy to start shuffling for another game. Sirius nearly beat his head in frustration when Malfoy looked over at him and asked him if he wanted to play this round as well.

Malfoy sighed in that annoying way of his when Sirius answered negatively and turned his attention to Riddle, finishing his story about Johnson and their dinner –

"Weren't you and Lily supposed to be having dinner together tonight?" Sirius interrupted, suddenly struck by surprise. Malfoy had told the two of them earlier today that he was trying to 'make up this terrible voyage' to Lily by having a solitary dinner in one of the restaurants tonight, but how could he have done that with future Death Eaters slobbering over his every word?

The cards Malfoy were shuffling paused momentarily as the owner turned to fix Sirius with his cold eyes.

"What?" he asked, irritated.

Sirius sat up a little straighter in his chair, not at all intimidated by Malfoy's glare and repeated his question. Malfoy stared at him for the longest time, as if he was trying to gauge Sirius's intentions on the subject, and Sirius tried to keep his face as impassive as possible.

"We were supposed to have dinner, yes, but you can't obviously expect me to refuse a potential new member over my fiancée, can you?" Malfoy reasoned at last, beginning to shuffle his cards again in an impatient manner.

Sirius felt a shock of anger course through him, but he fought it down, trying to remain calm and seem simply curious.

"Did she come to the other table with you?"

Malfoy let out a dark little chuckle.

"Black, you can't be serious, can you?" he said, a humorous tone to his voice. Sirius didn't bother to point out the pun in his question. "_Lily_, come along to a Death Eater meting? That's quite possibly the most absurd thing I've heard all day…Of course I didn't let her come! I left her sitting at our table – "

"_Alone?_" Sirius asked, his anger seeping through unintentionally.

"Yes, _alone_," Malfoy replied in a tone that would most likely be used to address a stupid child. "I've done it plenty of times before; she's used to it…I once left her sitting at a table in a London restaurant for six hours and she waited that long for me to come back. Horribly pathetic really…She's probably still sitting down in the Á la Carte restaurant right now."

Sirius stared at Malfoy in disgust, anger coursing through him. How could he treat Lily like that? Like some kind of _thing_ he could toss away and pick up when it served him best? Lily didn't deserve to be treated like a piece of garbage; no one deserved to be treated like that, especially if it came from a bastard like _Lucius Malfoy_…

The blond man had turned back to Riddle, apparently convinced that the younger man was through with his questions for the night.

Sirius waited until he had calmed down enough to ask Malfoy another question.

"Why do you treat her like that?"

One of the cards that Malfoy was dealing to Riddle flew off the table and onto the floor. The older man rolled his eyes and leaned over to pick the card up as Malfoy turned to stare at Sirius once again.

"Why do I treat her like that?" Malfoy repeated, his voice low and dangerous, as if he expected Sirius to be intimidated by it alone. "Treat her like however I feel like, you mean?"

The young man nodded slowly, not trusting himself to speak, but revelling in the knowledge that he was no longer the only angry person at the table.

"Because, Black," he sighed condescendingly. "Lily is _mine_ – or will be in a few months time – and when I own something, I can treat it however I feel best, which includes leaving it at a dinner table for a few hours alone…Lily's hardly an exception as my fiancée and she needs to be taught some harsh lessons; I have _dogs_ better trained than her, after all. Until she learns to behave herself and treat me with the respect a husband deserves, I'm going to treat her however I feel like it."

"So…So, she's nothing more than a _thing_ to you? Some kind of prize?" Sirius demanded, grinding his heel into the carpet and wishing it was Malfoy's face. "Whatever happened to love or devotion?"

"I believe someone's being reading far too much poetry in his spare time…_Love_. Ha," Riddle scoffed dryly. "And I wouldn't go so far as to describe _Evans_ as a _prize_…She's hardly worth a thing, though I suppose you must be right…There must be some reason Lucius decided to walk down the aisle with her."  
The two men chuckled together suddenly, as if they shared some insight into the matter of Malfoy's attraction to Lily, and then promptly began to ignore Sirius again, in favour of starting a new game rather than answering any more of his questions.

But Sirius wasn't through yet and he wouldn't be ignored for long. Malfoy had made him furious with all those comments; he had suspected quite a long time that Malfoy probably didn't _love_ Lily, but he had really never expected his lack of affection to go as far as outright disregard for her as a person. How could he compare Lily, quite possibly the most bright, beautiful, and extraordinary woman he had ever known, to a _disobedient dog_? That alone made Sirius burn with fury.

"Well," he mumbled after the two of them had gotten a comfortable way into their card game, "with the way you treat her, its no wonder that she prefers Potter to you."

Malfoy slammed his cards down on the table, knocking over both his and Riddle's brandy glasses and shot off his chair like he had just been jabbed with a red-hot poker. With in seconds, he was towering over Sirius, grabbing the lapels of his suit and pulling him upright into his chair.

"_What did you say?_" he hissed, his cold eyes now blazing with vehemence.

"I _said_," Sirius stated loudly, returning Malfoy's glare with no hesitation at all. Malfoy might be able to threaten and hurt Lily, but Sirius wasn't afraid to hit the bastard right back. "That it's no wonder she prefers Potter to you."

A tense, violent silence fell between them and Riddle watched like a hungry vulture as the two stared each other down. Twice, Malfoy's hands contracted on Sirius's lapels, as if he was about to strangle the younger man or punch him, and his mouth twitched angrily often, as if he was stopping himself from letting a tirade of curse words come flying out. Sirius was much calmer then Malfoy, but his hands under the table were shaking with nerves. Maybe he'd given too much away with that last comment, maybe they knew he was a spy, _maybe_…

"Lily knows her place, Black," Malfoy spoke at last, his tone threatening, dangerous. He let go of Sirius's suit, shoving him back down into his chair before more people could stare at them. "But I suggest it's time you learned yours."

He sat back down slowly, staring Sirius down ominously. After regaining most of his composure, he turned to Riddle and resumed their card game as though it hadn't been interrupted at all. Throughout the rest of the night, however, he looked up whenever Sirius twitched.

* * *

They were kissing again. 

James just couldn't help himself. Her luscious lips had been far to distracting during the time they had lain and talked, and he'd decided to put an end to her subconscious teasing before he went insane. They had changed positions sometime during their talk, sitting on the bench instead, and he had simply leaned over and captured her lips with his. It was supposed to have been a soft, sweet kiss, but Lily had thought differently, which was why he was currently snogging her as if his life depended on it.

Each kiss they shared increased in intensity, like lighting bolts in a vicious storm. They became hotter, wetter, and much more needy each time their lips met, drinking in the other deeply, as if neither could get their fill.

It wasn't just the kisses that were getting hotter either. Lily's small hands, for instance, had gotten under his shirt a long time ago, making him groan against her lips every time she hit a sensitive spot on his skin. She pulled at his hair, driving him wild with desire and making him met her lips more passionately with every delicious tug. His hands weren't exactly idle either. They were under her dress, running up her arms, on her chest, making her whimper and sigh and moan so wonderfully –

James was sure he had never enjoyed kissing anyone this much before. He didn't know how he could've refrained from kissing her earlier – she was far too good to be ignored.

He slowly lowered her onto her back on the bench again, breaking their latest kiss just so he could start trailing soft, sensual kiss down her creamy neck, tasting and nipping at her skin.

"Bloody hell…This bench needs to be _a lot_ bigger," James murmured against the hollow of her neck and eliciting a low laugh from her. His knees were throbbing in protest about being crammed on such a small area, and he adjusted himself to relieve the pressure. "Not funny…I'm about to fall off."

"Just don't stop kissing me if you do…_Christ_, James," she groaned, her hands twisting in his hair. "You're _much_ better than Lucius…"

"Glad to know I'm better than him at something as important as kissing you senseless..."

"_Oh_…you're better than him at a lot of things, I'm sure…He kisses like a dead fish."

James paused his kisses and stared at her incredulously.

"A dead fish? When have you ever kissed a dead fish?"

She laughed again, a beautiful, clear sound, and tugged at James collar, pulling him into another soft kiss.

"The stable boy at Beauxbatons fancied me after I borrowed his trousers, but he had horrible teeth, never bathed, and was incredibly pimply, so you can imagine that I was rather reluctant to do anything with him, let alone something like _kiss_ him. So I told him that I'd rather kiss a dead fish," she explained, kissing him lightly on the throat, "and he shows up the next day with a dead trout from the kitchens. I had to kiss it and it was possibly the most disgusting thing ever…cold, slimy…Ecgh."

James laughed and she grinned, her eyes sparkling with life and warmth that he had so rarely seen in her. He stared, captivated by her, as that strange emotion rose inside of him again…She made him so happy, so complete…He was beginning to forget what it was like to have a life without knowing Lily Evans, and he didn't want to go back to that life at all, because that wasn't a _life_…He hadn't known what life was before her.

Was this – was he –

"What?"

Her forehead was wrinkling in question and James grinned, memorising every crinkle of her skin.

"You're astounding, did you know?" he mumbled, pulling a lock of her hair out of place and twisting around his forefinger.

"Mmm…Sirius kisses like a slobbering little puppy, did you know?"

"No, I didn't – HE _WHAT?_"

"I was _eleven_, James. Sit back down, you idiot, and kiss me again."

James, though troubled greatly by this new information, happily obliged, until a serious thought struck him and he broke their kiss abruptly.

"What kind of animal do _I_ kiss like?"

* * *

Remus was worried and James had gone missing. 

This was usually not a good combination of any sort.

He had first noticed that something was amiss when he and Sigrid had passed by James's table during their dance without seeing a familiar head of messy black hair. The table was occupied instead by Mrs. Kiernan, and Remus simply presumed that James was playing with little Aileen. However, when they passed by another twenty minutes later and Aileen was at the table, but without James, Remus had started to get slightly concerned.

He really didn't think anything of it until an hour later, when Sigrid had exhausted him beyond belief, the musicians had decided to take a drink break, and James still wasn't back from where he had disappeared. He left Sigrid on the other side of the dance floor, telling her in very simple English that he would be back in time for the next dance, and walked over to the table to get some answers.

Mrs. Kiernan was still at the table, talking with another Irishman named Tommy O'Ryan, if memory served correctly, while bouncing Aileen on her knees. Another redheaded woman was seated by Tommy, and she was watching Jack Dawson play with a curly-headed little girl.

"Lupin!" Jack called, twirling the girl round and round. Aileen was watching her through half-closed, jealous eyes. "Come to join us, have you?"

"Ha. Right," Remus replied, looking over his shoulder at Sigrid. The music had begun unexpectedly again and she had an impatient look on her face. "I just came from a drink…Do you have any unused glasses?"

Tommy pushed a full glass at him and Remus took it gratefully. He gulped it down, set it back down on the table, and looked at Jack.

"You haven't seen James lately, have you?"

"Potter?" Jack repeated, pausing his dance with the girl for a moment to think. "No…not since lunch. I just got down here."

"Been busy, have you?" Remus asked, noticing that Jack was currently dressed in some clothes he certainly could not afford. He nodded at the unknown woman sitting at the table. "Do you mind introducing me?"

"Oh, right. Lupin, this is – "

"_Lily_?" Remus interrupted as the woman turned around. "Oh…No, sorry…"

"It's all right," the woman responded, smiling. She stuck out her hand and introduced herself as Rose Dewitt-Bukater, the girl Dawson had met last night.

"Remus Lupin," he replied, shaking her hand and wondering why all Americans were quite so forward. He felt extremely stupid, but this Rose woman did look extraordinarily like Lily. She had long red hair, fair skin, green eyes (though, on closer inspection, they were not nearly was bright and unique as Lily's), and was dressed in dinner finery that could only be associated with the rich and elite.

"Sorry," Remus apologised again, shaking his head. "Its just…you look a lot like another girl I know…Is Lily Evans a relative, by chance?"

"Evans…Evans…She's not Lucius Malfoy's fiancée, is she?"

"Unfortunately."

"Oh…Well, I don't think we're related, though we do look a lot a like, don't we?" Rose answered, grinning at him. She seemed a bit tipsy, if all the empty beer mugs were any testament to her state. "How do you know Evans? Malfoy's got her on a tighter leash than Cal has on me!"

She laughed and then turned back to Jack, cheering and clapping her hands in time with the music.

Shaking his head, Remus turned to Mrs. Kiernan, hoping she'd have some answers.

"I haven't seen Mr. Potter since he went to play with Aileen," she answered, as if reading Remus's mind, "an' she came back a little while later without him, mumblin' about Mr. Potter needin' to talk with Miss Evans."

Remus stared at her sceptically, until his concentration was broken by a tug on his arm and a butchered pronunciation of his name whispered in his ear. Sigrid had gotten tired of waiting, apparently, and started to tug him into the dancing crowd again.

"Are you sure that's what she said? _Lily_ and _James_ talking?" Remus persisted, resisting Sigrid's strong pull momentarily.

Mrs. Kiernan nodded and opened her mouth to say something, but whatever it was, Remus never got to hear. Sigrid gave him one last tug, tearing him away from the sidelines and into the crowd.

As they went twirling through the mixed crowd, Remus could hardly concentrate on his dancing and his concern grew with every passing moment.

* * *

Peter detested the late shift on steward duty. He had done his fair share of night shifts on other voyages and was particularly happy when he was assigned to be an afternoon steward for _Titanic_'s maiden voyage. At least the day shift didn't involve directing drunks to their cabins or helping lost foreign passengers find the loo at three in the morning. 

One of Peter's cabin mates had gotten sick earlier this evening and Peter, being the kind soul he was, volunteered to cover the majority of his shift so he wouldn't get in trouble. The cabin mate's illness, however, didn't seem to be too threatening as Peter had spotted him snogging one of the first class maids in the corridor as he had gone upstairs, putting him in a bad mood for the rest of the night.

There were very few stewards on the night shift, less than half of the number on the day side, and they were an unruly bunch. As Peter was smaller and quieter than the lot of them, the other members of the crew had bullied and poked fun at him throughout the entire shift. Peter, never being one to stand up for himself without either Remus, Sirius, or James behind him, put up with it and, as a result, was forced to do the worst part of the duty, deck check.

Deck check consisted mostly of going outside onto the poop deck and sending the intoxicated passengers back below before they hurt themselves. The unlucky bloke on deck check duty also had to make sure none of the steerage passengers were climbing on the machinery and to stop them from going out-of-bounds while freezing his arse off at the same time.

Peter shrugged his coat closer to him and pulled his cap lower on his head, mumbling irritably under his breath. Any passenger out this night was probably insane; it had to be at least below freezing without the wind chill. Peter had only seen a few people thus far on his rounds; a few members of the deck crew, with whom he'd had a talk with for a little while, a few random passengers out with their cigarettes, and a rather bulky looking passenger lying on a shadowy bench near the edge of the stern.

Oh, yes. Deck check was certainly a _very _exciting duty.

He yawned, bored out of his mind. As there was hardly anything for Peter to do while on duty, he had taken to just walking back and forth on the same stretch of deck, shining his electric torch in the darkened areas, in between smoking (a rather nasty habit he had picked up from James) and throwing bits of paper over the side of the ship.

He bit down on his cigarette and fumbled around in his jacket pockets for his watch to check the time for the second time in the last fifteen minutes. Time passed much slower out on deck than inside, and Peter was hoping to go back inside very soon. His watch, on the other hand, squashed those hopes by declaring that it was just nearing eleven o'clock. Peter jammed the watch back into his pocket and shuffled onward, grumbling about stupid cabin mates and six hour shifts. He was currently entertaining the idea of going back to his cabin at midnight, just to show his cabin mate that he couldn't be bullied _completely_ –

Suddenly, laughter and the low murmuring of voices further aft reached Peter's ears, and he stopped, looking over his shoulder. He could barely see two figures in the distance, but they were coming toward him, stumbling over their own feet and laughing heartily.

"Drunks," he muttered distastefully, plucking his cigarette out of his mouth and throwing it on the deck, grinding it with his boot. He turned off his torch and ducked into the shadows, not wanting to be harassed by two drunken fools as well.

As the pair came closer, Peter thought he heard something suspiciously close to _singing_ coming from one of them, but the act seemed to be straining his or her vocal chords. Peter winced in exasperation; there was nothing worse than _singing _drunks.

The couple stumbled into Peter's area, and he shrank further back into the shadows, wanting to be avoided but wanting to see at the same time. What he saw surprised him greatly.

James Potter was out on deck at this time of night, wearing nothing but a thin shirt, and clumsily dancing and laughing with a red-headed woman, who was singing and looked remarkably like…like _Lily Evans_!

"Come Josephine, in my flying machine! Going up, she goes! Up, she goes! Balance yourself like a bird on a beam!" Evans sang in between bouts of laughter as James twirled her around once and then into his arms. "In the air she goes…Oh, don't you know this song, James? It was popular just last year!"

James laughed along with her, pulling her close to him, and then dipping her low, eliciting a small shriek from her.

"I probably would know it if you weren't murdering the song. Christ, you're a horrible singer, Lily," he responded, grinning at her and wincing playfully when she smacked him the shoulder.

"Well, I never said I was good at everything, did I?"

"I know _one _thing you're good at, among other things, I suppose," he said, straightening back up and threading his hands in her hair familiarly. She began to sing again, although softly this time and in a much more bearable way, though it was still horrible on the ears. "Oh, do shut up or I'm going to have to do it for you."

Evans giggled, but she was quickly silenced by a fierce kiss on the lips by James.

Peter turned away quickly, his mouth hanging open in incredulity. How did they –? What were they –? _Were_ they actually –? _What the bloody hell was going on?_

What on earth was _James_ doing with _Lucius Malfoy's_ fiancée, let alone _kissing _her so…so wantonly? Did this have anything to do with Evans asking for James two days ago? If it did, then _why_ in the name of God's green earth were they currently snogging the hell out of each other in plain sight? Were they _insane_, drunk, or simply a combination of the two?

The most important question, however, was what was he, _Peter_, going to about all of this? Did Remus and Sirius know about all of this? Worse, did Riddle and Malfoy even have a clue as to what was going on behind their backs? Was he going to have to tell them that his best friend was involved with to the fiancée of a known murderer and Death Eater? Was he going to have to betray James's trust and tell the others about what had just occurred? Did he really need to tell anybody about this?

Their laughter and voices were getting farther and farther away, and by the time Peter turned around and stepped out of the shadows, they were already on the stairs leading to the upper classes and far out of his reach. He stared at them momentarily, swept up in confusion, before making his first decision of the night.

He was going to skive off the rest of this shift and go have a brandy.

* * *

"Wow…There's a lot of stars out tonight." 

Lily stared at him, an intrigued and slightly confused grin crossing her lips.

"That was a completely random thought, James Potter."

He looked down at her, that _horrible_ lopsided grin on his face and Lily felt her knees weaken at the sight.

"I know," he replied, placing a hand gently on hers, their shoulder bumping together lightly. "Just thought I'd let you know."

She poked him in the side, causing him to squirm, and looked up at the stars, just to humour him mostly. The heavens were glittering majestically above, not a cloud in sight, the inky blackness vast and unchallenged. It was pure and perfect in its infinite darkness and natural beauty. She had never seen anything so beautiful before.

"You're right…" she muttered softly, feeling his fingers trace slow patterns over her hand as she stared upward. "I've never seen this many stars in my life…There's hardly any in London."

"There'll probably be even less in New York…That's the trouble with big cities."

Lily's grin faltered and she looked away, directing her attention to the water far below. The glorious reflection of _Titanic_ stared back at her, the watery lights glittering just like the stars above. She didn't want to look at the stars any longer; they had presented her with a false hope, a hope that she had let fill her tonight until James's simple words had brought reality crashing back down upon her.

Everything they had done tonight – the talking, the learning, the kissing – would simply be a memory by daylight. She had to go back – there was no question about it. She didn't want to go; she'd give _anything_ just to stay in this moment with this man for eternity, but that was an impossibility…She knew it and he knew it as well.

"Lily?" he asked softly, shifting against her. They were leaning on the rail in between two lifeboats on the Boat Deck. The night was calm, the quiet broken by the distant sounds of laughter and strings…The sounds of her world.

He knew very well that their time was limited, but he kept stalling, kept trying to gain one more precious minute with her. As much as she loved being with him, she knew he was only making it harder for the both of them. Every moment she spent with James, the more she became attached, the more bits of her heart he snatched away, and the more painful it became to think about losing him.

She didn't answer him, instead glancing up at the stars once more, trying to think of what she could say to him to make him realise that he couldn't keep doing this, that they had to stop before it hurt any worse…She opened her mouth to tell him that exactly, but the words that came tumbling out were not those that she had intended.

"Look, James!" she cried, grabbing his arm in excitement and pointing out to the sky. "A shooting star."

"Lovely," James murmured, catching the end of the dazzling white streak and smiling. "You know, my dad used to say that whenever you saw one, it was a soul going to heaven."  
Lily leaned heavily against his shoulder, enamoured by his presence, by everything about him.

"I like that…But can we still wish on it?"

He shrugged and looked at her. His hazel eyes were filled with the same sorrow, the same unwillingness to let go that filled her very being. Gently, one of his hands brushed a stray piece of hair away from her face and his hand lingered there, cupping her cheek and slowly caressing her skin with his worn thumb.

"What would you wish for?" he asked, his voice low and throaty. Lily felt something intangible pass between them and slowly, she placed her hands on his cheeks and pulled him down into a kiss; their last kiss.

It was achingly slow and sensual, showing none of the ferocity and lust of their last kisses. His lips were so gentle and sweet against hers as he deepened the kiss, pulling her further into him and keeping a lasting hold on her. She was drowning in him, needing him like the air she breathed. It took all of her willpower just to pull away, and even once she had, she couldn't resist just one more meeting.

"Something I can't have," she whispered, against his lips, pulling away. She stepped backward, going toward her world, where she…she didn't belong. This was where she belonged, where she fit, but it just wasn't possible. James turned, but didn't try to stop her, unfathomable misery in his eyes. "Goodbye, James…and thank you. For everything."

"Goodbye, Lily," he responded, his voice flat, emotionless.

She turned away, unable to look at him again, and ran away from him with her eyes clouding with distress for the second time today, though for a different reason entirely.

* * *

Remus was waiting for him in the general room when James came down later that night. The party was over, though a few stragglers were dancing pathetically to a lone pipest, belting out a sad, Scottish tune in the middle of the room. Across from the entranceway, Remus was seated at a table with a stormy look on his face. 

James considered turning around and going to his cabin, but Remus had already spotted him, his face becoming even darker in an instant. James decided it would be in his best interest to not try Remus's temper this late at night, even though Remus looked as though he was going to yell at him anyway.

"Well, I see you've finally decided to come back," the other man stated, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at James. "I see that you're missing your jacket…So what did you and the illustrious _Lily Evans_ do tonight? Kiss and make up? Snog relentlessly under the stars? Heighten your chances of being killed by Malfoy and company – "

"_Shut up_, Remus," James requested, returning Remus's glare. He didn't bother to sit down; he didn't feel like bothering to do anything at the moment.

His goodbye to Lily had been the most heart-wrenching experience of his life. When she had left him out on deck, he had felt hollow, numb inside. He didn't know what to think, what to do or feel…It was like his life had come to a stand-still, and he would never be the same James he had been only minutes before.

He would've done anything to keep her with him and stay with her forever. He didn't want to go back to his normal life and attempt to move on or forget about her. He couldn't forget about her; she was like a part of him now, a vital part that he couldn't exist without.

"Whatever happened to your brilliant plan of letting her go and never wanting to see her – " Remus continued angrily, not taking James's hint to shut his mouth.

"I'm not going to see her again, Remus, and it has _nothing_ to do with whether or not I want to either," James responded tightly, balling his fists angrily at his sides. "And it was never my brilliant bloody plan in the first place; it was _yours_, and you don't know _anything_ about what happened or what I'm feeling – "

"Oh, would you just _shut up_ about it already?" Remus snapped, rising from his chair and looking far more furious than James had ever seen him. "You lost a girl you barely even knew to another man…So what? It happens all the time to other people – it happened to _me_ – so don't start thinking that you're some kind of exception to the rule…She was a _fling_, James! Nothing important!"

"Don't you talk about her like that – "

"She could've cost you your _life_, James! If Malfoy ever finds about what you did tonight, you – "

Remus had been trying his temper for the last few days with his mollycoddling and unwanted concern, and James was longing to throw it back in his face. He didn't have a right to step into James's life and try to control who he talked to, who he became friends with; he was behaving like…_Malfoy_.

Suddenly, things became very clear to him.

"It seems to me," James interrupted, his temper reaching its peak, "that you're more concerned about _Malfoy's _well-being than anyone else's! All I've heard come spewing from your mouth is, 'Malfoy won't like this,' or 'This will upset Malfoy,' or 'Goodness, what a saint Malfoy is!' It's all been about bloody Malfoy, hasn't it?" Remus didn't respond, instead staring at James with a thin mouth and a glare that would make anyone else run. To James, however, his silence just made him all the guiltier, and he began to back away from the table, pointing an accusing finger at Remus. "I reckon Sirius was right about you, Remus Lupin…_You are the leak_."

James spun around, not caring to see Remus's reaction, and headed toward the staircase once more, not knowing where he was going, but intending it to be somewhere where Remus would not be.

He was halfway up the steps when he heard footsteps behind him and Remus's calling, "It's not like you're in love with her, damn it!"

James opened his mouth to shout at Remus once again, to say even more stupid things, but then he snapped it back shut, Remus's last words hitting him like a brick to the head.

_It's not like you're in love with her, damn it!_

He paused on the stairs, stunned immobile, the ten simple words repeating over and over in his head. It wasn't possible; it couldn't be possible! People didn't – he _didn't_ – he _couldn't_ –

But he _did_, and, after and above everything else, it had taken Remus's fury-filled words to convince himself that he…he…

_He loved Lily_.

* * *

Thanks for reading a please review. Remember to check out my **livejournal** for progress reports, future snippets, and as of Chapter 14, reviewer responses. 


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Author's notes:** I'm back and with a new chapter for everyone! Sorry about the terribly long wait – this was one of those difficult chapters to write. I ended up changing the entire chapter plan halfway through. I'll try to make the next update speedy as the _Half-Blood Prince_ release date inches nearer! I wanted to get two chapters uploaded before then, so I'll have to hurry! Thanks to all my reviewers and please enjoy this chapter.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter or any references to James Cameron's _Titanic_.

**Chapter Fifteen**

_April 14th, 1912_

_3:04 AM_

_R.M.S Titanic_

James supposed he was never going to get any sleep at this rate. He'd slept on some of the most uncomfortable surfaces unimaginable many times in his past and had not forgotten what life without a comfortable bed was like. The hard wood of a _Titanic_ bench, however, was digging into his back painfully, causing him to toss and turn every few minutes, and effectively keeping him awake at this God-awful hour.

He was the only one in the dark general room now, and it had been that way when he'd come back down inside after his fight with Remus. Several stewards had accosted him, telling him to go back to his cabin, but he had pretended he hadn't the slightest clue they were talking about, answering questions in a mixture of English and the bit of French he knew. Finally, the exasperated stewards had given up, leaving him in peace and muttering about mad Frenchmen.

The reason he was trying to sleep in the general room was because he did _not_ want to go back to his cabin. He was still quite furious at Remus and going back to his cabin would mean confrontation with his difficult companion yet again. Now, as he was lying on the uncomfortable bench, he did feel slightly guilty for accusing Remus and yelling at him, but the urge wasn't strong enough to make him go back and apologise.

The horrible sleeping arrangements weren't the only thing keeping him awake. His thoughts were the real culprit at hand. His mind was spinning and churning out ideas faster than he could take them in. It was just too full, of everything and nothing at the same time.

He loved Lily, and he could not stop thinking about her.

Every moment he closed his eyes, trying to sleep, he saw her face and a bright smile on her lips. Each time he shifted on the bench, his body yearned to hold her closer again and remembered how wonderful it had felt to have her curled up against him. His heart nearly burst out of his chest whenever he thought about their kisses and their talks. _He loved Lily_.

James laughed out loud, feeling incredibly excited. The thought of him, James Potter, _loving_ someone was just too humorous to imagine. Yet, here he was. Madly in love with a beautiful girl – but just not _any_ girl. Oh, nooo. James had to fall in love with the fiancée of a murderous Death Eater. It was just his rotten luck – he had to fall head over heels with the one girl he couldn't have.

But who said he couldn't have her?  
Startled by this thought, James sat straight up on his bench.

Yes, Lily was engaged, but she didn't _want_ to get married to Malfoy. James had never heard her say this, but he was positive that this was the case. With the way he treated her, James couldn't blame her lack of commitment. If the way she kissed and held onto him last night were any indication, Lily probably felt the same way about James as he did about her – although he wasn't too sure about the loving part yet.

Really, the only thing holding them back from being together was Malfoy. Malfoy would never let Lily break their engagement, especially not this close to their wedding and not for some street rat. That would ruin his reputation. No, Malfoy would keep a tight hold on Lily as long as he could, even if it meant making them both incredibly miserable for a very long time.

Malfoy, however, could be worked around. If James truly wanted to be with Lily (and he _did_) or she with him, then they could find a way to be together. Murdering Malfoy was not an option; James didn't sink to Death Eater lows unless it was absolutely necessary. Sneaking or stealing Lily away had its fair share of problems too as Malfoy would most likely pin it as a kidnapping…There had to be _some_ way for them to be together, some way…

James groaned and flopped onto his back.

Now he was most definitely not going to sleep tonight.

* * *

_9:06 AM_

Lily closed the door to her stateroom behind her and leaned against it, breathing a sigh of relief. Breakfast with Lucius had been absolutely nerve-racking this morning.

Very few things could cause such a fright in Lily as the maid had when she had come in and informed her that she and Lucius were to have breakfast alone in their sitting room, alone.

They _never_ had breakfast alone, except when he needed to talk or he was _mad_ at her…She hadn't seen him at all after she'd gotten back last night; he had still been in the smoking room and she had gone straight to bed. Was it possible that he had discovered where she had gone last night? Had he found out about her and James?

Shaking from head to toe, Lily had walked out of her stateroom and greeted Lucius as normally as possible, hoping he didn't notice her nervousness. The first few moments of breakfast were tense. Lucius had read the small newspaper, absorbed by every bit of information it held, and Lily had stirred her tea with a shaky hand, waiting for the blow to fall.

It never came.

Lucius had called their solitary breakfast to make-up for his behaviour for the night before, which had shocked Lily yet again. He said all sorts of things to excuse himself; _"Johnson was overly eager, wouldn't let me get away – "_ or _"The guilt of leaving you alone was tearing me up inside."_ She knew the truth of the matter. He wouldn't have come back even if he could, and he was just saying these things to make sure she didn't go running off to another man for comfort. But she had gone running last night, ending up in the warm arms of James Potter.

_James._

Her heart ached just thinking about him. Last night had been the most romantic and beautiful night of her life. James was the prefect man, gentle, compassionate, intelligent – everything Lucius was not. She fit with him and she had known it, since the moment they had locked eyes on the boat deck four days ago. She had only known James for four days, but she knew – with the utmost certainty of her heart – that she loved him.

It was the strangest feeling, to be in love with someone. She had never experienced this feeling before, and it was slightly terrifying, knowing that the love of another person could consume your soul. It was an incredibly wonderful feeling, but along with the happiness came unimaginable hurt.

She and James could never be together, all because of her acceptance of Lucius's proposal. She had already lost James before she could have him and that loss would continue to haunt her until her dying day. It was a horrific feeling, to be denied the one you loved, the one person that could make you feel alive, and because of her _stupidity_ –

Lily sighed, shaking her head in sorrow. If there were any way to be with James, if he gave some indication that he wanted to be with her, Lily would take it, regardless of the risks. Anything would be better than this sham of a relationship with Lucius.

She moved over to her dresser, checking the small clock on the fireplace mantle as she passed. It was just after nine, and the religious service started at eleven. Knowing Petunia, she'd want to be there a half an hour early, and it'd be best to start getting ready now, lest Petunia burst in and –

Lily froze, her grip tightening on her vanity chair in panic.

Sounds were coming from her enclosed wardrobe.

There had been a loud 'thump' at first, then a bit of muffled talk, before everything went quiet again. It sounded as though it had come from the back of the wardrobe, where the safe was stored, which could only mean one things – _thieves_.

She let go of her chair, and grabbed her ivory handled hairbrush, the only object on her dresser suitable to swing at someone's head. She walked quietly over to the wardrobe, brush poised and ready in case the thief decided to leap out before she got to the door. Hopefully, there was only one and he wouldn't be a brute of a man either – she grasped the handle and threw the door open.

"_James_!" she shrieked, dropping her hairbrush in shock.

He was standing in back of her wardrobe, and had whirled around at the sound of her voice, tucking one hand quickly into his pocket. He expression was that of a boy just caught sneaking sweets. He had been facing the safe before, and she wondered what he could've possibly been doing –

James quickly overcame the surprise of being discovered hiding in a woman's wardrobe. He closed the distance between them, cupped her face in his hands, and muttered, "Lily," in a deep, needy voice that made her legs wobble unsteadily beneath her. Then, he kissed hungrily, causing all thoughts to fly from her head except how _good_ his lips felt on hers and how much she loved kissing him. She threw her arms around him, unbalancing him and causing him to stumble back into wardrobe, hitting one of the walls. He laughed, leaning against it, gladly letting himself be sandwiched between Lily and the wall.

"Good morning," he whispered, pulling away momentarily. He grinned at her, pushing his glasses back into place, before putting the hand back into her hair.

"Hi," she breathed, feeling like a shy, silly schoolgirl. She wanted to say something more, something intelligent, something sophisticated, but all she could do at the moment was just _stare_ at James with a stupid smile on her face. Why was she suddenly turning into a pile of mush around him?

"Erm…Nice wardrobe you have here," he replied awkwardly, obviously put off by her uncomplimentary staring. Or maybe, he was nervous, though over what, Lily had no idea. "Very big, full of stuff – "

"I don't think you came to visit me this morning to talk about my wardrobe," Lily interrupted, salvaging her focus from his hazel eyes. She grabbed the collar of his jacket, pulling him down until his forehead was touching hers and their lips were just centimetres apart.

"No, I didn't," he murmured, voice low and full of desire. His breath tickled her face as he leaned in and closed the gap between their lips.

He skipped preliminaries and moved right into a deep, sensual kiss that sent her spinning. She loved every second his lips were on hers, loved everything about him –

"Lily?"

There was a knock on her door and Lucius's commanding voice came flowing into the room. Lily's eyes snapped open and she broke their kiss, staring horrifically at her stateroom door. If Lucius came into the room, he could see nothing from the doorway, but if he happened to glance into the mirror across the way…

"_Lily_?" he demanded again, jiggling the door handle.

"Don't come in!" she cried, trying to untangle her limbs from James's. There was a smirk of amusement on his face and he was doing nothing to help the situation. He might've been ready for all Hell to break loose if Lucius caught them in a passionate embrace, but she was most certainly _not_. "I'm – I'm changing!"

The doorknob stopped jiggling.

"What was that noise? You screamed."

"One - One of my hat boxes fell on my head," she lied, squirming uncomfortably. She felt warm lips on her neck, nipping at the skin, and she wobbled again, shooting James a desperate look. He smirked and continued downward, sliding the fabric of her sleeve down to kiss her collarbone. "I'm – I'm fine! No need to worry!"

There was no answer and Lily strained her hearing, catching the sound of fading footsteps. She breathed her second sigh of relief in minutes and slumped against James, relishing their closeness (and his seductive kisses) momentarily, before regaining her senses and pushing him away.

"What are you doing here, James?" she whispered, casting a furtive glance out into her stateroom before clicking on the light of the wardrobe and closing the door.

"I need to talk to you," he responded, straightening up and fixing his jacket.

"_Now_? And in my _wardrobe_?" she hissed, panicked. "You can't – that was far too close of a call and if Lucius catches you he'll – he'll – "

"Let him do whatever he wants," he declared, stepping closer to her. The wardrobe was incredibly cramped, with all of her dresses hanging about and trunks taking up space. "I'm not leaving until I talk to you."

"Well, then, talk already – I don't want him – " Lily was quickly silenced by another kiss from James.

"I love you," he murmured against her lips, kissing her again and again. His hands entangled in her hair, pulling pins out of place, and she was up against his body, their closeness sending tingles through her body. "I love you, I love you, I love you a thousands times more…That's what I wanted to say."

It took her a few moments to register what he had said – being kissed passionately over and over again tended to give a person no reason to listen – and her heart skipped a beat.

_He…he loved her_.

"You…_what?_" she repeated, just to make sure she heard him correctly to first five times. She pulled out of their kiss, staring at him.

"I love you," he replied, pushing a piece of hair behind her hair. His eyes clouded with confusion behind his glasses and he asked, "That's not a problem…is it?"

"A problem?" Lily said, her heart upping its pace against her rib cage and her breathing catching in her throat. "Of course – _of course_ it's not a problem, James!" She threw her arms around his neck, toppling him into the wardrobe door this time. The door flung open and expelled them both in a laughing, joyous mass of humanity.

As she pulled him down into another kiss, her fingers entangling in his wild mess of hair, she whispered, "I love you too," and realised that kisses while you were in love were so much better than normal kisses.

* * *

It was one thing to realise that one was in love with someone, but it was a completely different thing to realise that that very same person loved you in the same way.

James couldn't believe all the emotions that were bombarding him at the moment. Disbelief – he was _in love_; confusion – he was in _love_?; and happiness – Lily _loved_ him, were prominent among the mess that was James's feelings at the moment. He had hardly expected _this_ when he had first snuck into Lily's wardrobe earlier this morning.

James had eventually fallen asleep a little later in the morning without discovering some miracle way for he and Lily to be together in New York. He had several ideas, but none of them seemed plausible. He knew the only way he could figure this out would be to talk to Lily in person. So, the instant he had woken up (no thanks to the Spanish bloke who had tried to sit on his face), he'd first snuck into his stateroom to change (Remus was still sleeping like a log, thank God) and grabbed his lock-picking tools, and then made his way up into the first class and eventually into the stateroom wardrobe, where he could talk to her.

Provided he ever got around from removing his lips from hers and decided to do some talking with them instead.

"This is insane," he mumbled, when they broke for air in-between kisses. Their foreheads were barely touching, his hands around her waist, hers in his hair. "Completely and utterly _mad_."

"I know," she replied, kissing his cheek. "But that's what I love about it."

James realised, in a somewhat hazy manner, that he and Lily were standing in the middle of her stateroom, kissing for anyone to see at any chosen moment. Surprisingly, however, he found himself not caring in the slightest. Let Malfoy find them. Lily loved him and that was all that really mattered.

"Do you remember last night – " she began, sliding her fingers up and down through his hair, causing him to shiver.

"Very vividly, actually," he laughed, kissing the tip of her nose. She frowned, annoyed at being interrupted. "Go on, I was only joking, love."

"Do you remember…when I told you that whatever we have is over, that'll I'll have to go back to Lucius in the end?" she asked, her voice low and green eyes serious. James nodded slowly, feeling his throat constrict at the thought. She couldn't be thinking about staying with Lucius, she couldn't _want_ to stay with him…

"Well, I don't want this to be over and I'm breaking off my engagement to Lucius the instant we get to New York. I'm not leaving _Titanic_ without you, James, because you're the man I want to be with."

James's throat constricted even more, though this was for a completely different reason entirely, and he had to gulp down the cries of joy that were rising in his chest. His heart was racing, pounding harder with every second, threatening to burst –

"You want to be…with _me_?" he repeated, knowing he must sound and look very stupid, with a silly grin plastered over his face. "We _must_ be mad!"

She laughed, and in that moment, James knew she was the most beautiful woman on the planet. Her skin was glowing in the early sunlight, her eyes were alive and were the most beautiful, mesmerising shade of green imaginable…Everything about her was astounding and fantastic and she was going to be _his_…

"I'm in love, I'm going to be with the most amazing woman in the world, and I've discovered that we're completely mad all at the same time," he continued, pulling her closer and closer to his body until there was no room left between them. She had stopped laughing now, her face a mask of eager excitement. "But this is the best day of my life and I _really_ just want you to kiss me aga – "

He was very graciously obliged before he was even finished with his sentence.

* * *

"Would you go and check on your sister, Petunia?" Lucius asked, glancing at Petunia over his shoulder. He was tying his tie – in the wrong fashion yet _again_ – and she was standing in the doorway of his stateroom waiting for him to finish, and utterly bored. "She was having difficulty with her wardrobe a few minutes ago, getting attacked by the hat boxes and all that. She may need some help getting dressed."

Petunia rolled her eyes. If it was one thing Lily and Lucius both needed help with, it was fashion. They were a perfect match in that aspect – Lily sometimes came out of the house looking like she had dressed in the dark while Lucius always insisted on tying his tie in the same, out-dated fashion every time they went out. It was absurd.

"Of course," Petunia sighed in a wounded sort of way, trying to get Lucius to have some pity for her. Lucius, however, nodded his approval, and continued his business with the tie.

Huffily, Petunia turned and slammed the door to his stateroom closed. She was already in a bad mood this morning – Vernon had telegraphed, saying he was having difficultly selling the land and he wouldn't be joining her in New York since the coal shortage had caused yet another ship to cancel its voyage. The task of baby-sitting Lily and picking out her clothes was just another thing to add to her list of annoyances.

She stomped through the sitting room, knocking a breakfast plate onto the floor just because she felt like it, and was just about to wrench the door to Lily's stateroom open, despite the fact that her sister might be running around starkers, when she hesitated for the briefest moment.

Was that _laughter_ she heard?

Her curiosity and natural nosiness got the best of her, and she leaned her ear against the door, listening for sounds. What would _Lily_ be laughing at? Had her maid done something particularly humorous, like suggested she wear an orange coloured dress? Even Lily had enough sense not to wear _orange_ –

The instant she heard voices from the other side of the door, Petunia knew that it was not the maid who was in that room. One was distinctively Lily's voice while the other was low and sounded very much like a male.

Petunia's sharp eyes narrowed in suspicion and she smashed her ear against the crack in the door just a bit more.

Who was in Lily's stateroom? It couldn't be Lucius, for she had just left his stateroom hardly two minutes before. It wouldn't be Tom Riddle or that Black boy because they both detested Lily. It _could_ be…but that was just silly. They hadn't seen hide or hair of that boy since dinner two nights ago, and he most _definitely_ wouldn't be in Lily's stateroom, making her laugh.

But he _could _be.

That thought alone gave Petunia enough motivation to make her next move. She grabbed the handle of the door and turned it slowly, opening it without the slightest sound. Years of sneaking into her parents' private parties or eavesdropping on the girls at school had taught her the proper way to go about spying on people. She eased the door open just enough to poke her head through to get a good look –

Petunia felt a trill of shock go through her and she blinked furiously, her mouth agape. This couldn't be happening – not to her, not to her _sister_…

Lily was currently engaged in a passionate kiss with none other than that horrible James Potter.

Petunia stared at them for minutes that dragged on endlessly. She couldn't – no, she _wouldn't_ – comprehend what was happening in front of her. Lily was a good girl; she was classy, proper! She wouldn't – she wasn't _raised_ this way – she couldn't be, but she _was_. She was kissing that steerage, that filth, like she had known him for ages, like they were _betrothed_ –

What, in the name of God, could Lily be _thinking_, kissing a boy like _that_? She was engaged, she had the perfect man at her fingertips – she didn't need this – this – How _could_ Lily do this to her? Didn't she know what would happen if she was _caught_? Her engagement was already nearing the rocks, but this would plunge it over the cliff! Petunia could already see the headline on the social section of one of the London newspaper, she could see the scandal heading her way, she was _panicking_ –

Lily was talking now, almost so quietly that Petunia couldn't hear what she was saying. She tried to remain calm and focus, but her panicked mind was so full with thoughts and notions that she almost didn't listen to Lily.

" – do you have somewhere to stay in New York, James? I don't want to spend another moment without you."

"Of course I do," Potter replied, stroking her face. Petunia felt a surge of anger flow through her; Potter didn't _deserve_ to be touching her sister's face –

Wait a moment. _What_ was this about New York?

Potter was mumbling an address and Lily was nodding, committing it to memory. Petunia stared, horror-struck and panicked at the two of them. Was Lily planning to run away with this – this _boy_? She must've gone completely and utterly mad! She barely knew him and he – he wasn't like _them_! He was filthy, he was poor, he – he – _he was going to ruin everything_ and make Lily's life _miserable_ –

Using all of her self-control, Petunia slid out of Lily's room, slowly shutting the door behind her. She spent a few moments, collecting her scattered thoughts and figuring her best plan of action.

Lily couldn't go to New York with Potter. Petunia wouldn't allow it; her sister didn't know what she was thinking, she didn't know what was best for her…Lily, Petunia could handle, but Potter would be another story completely.

Something had to be done about this pest and, as she stared across the sitting room at Lucius's door, Petunia knew exactly what.

* * *

"Did you hear something?" Lily whispered, looking at her stateroom door nervously. She could've sworn she had heard her door click shut, but hadn't she closed it only moment ago? How long had it been since she had come in from breakfast, since Lucius had interrupted them? How long could she afford to keep James in her stateroom before someone came in without knocking?

"No," James replied, nuzzling her neck and very nearly drawing her attention away from the doorway. He was very distracting like that. "Why?"

Lily pursed her lips, not answering him right away.

"You should go," she cautioned, pulling away from him. She felt suddenly cold, deprived of James's body heat, and already she ached to hold him close again. One hand was still on her cheek, and she clutched it close. "I don't want them to find you here. Not now."

"All right," he agreed, nodding his understanding. His eyes were serious, yet so full of love and sincerity that her will almost cracked again.

She followed him to the opposite stateroom door, one of his hands clutching hers tightly, and they paused right in front of it, lingering and not wanting to let go so soon.

"I want to see you again today," she said. "Is there a place or time we can meet safely?"

"I don't know," he said in response, touching her face. "If you tell him today, there definitely won't be a safe place until we get to New York."

"Just…be safe and don't take any risks, coming to see me."

"Worried already, are you?" he asked, a light grin on his face. He drew her in closer one last time and laid a soft, parting kiss on her lips. When he pulled away, his face was serious, determined. "…Nothing on earth can keep me from you now, Lily. _Nothing_."

And then, with a quick swing of the handle and step across the threshold, he was gone.

He exit wasn't a moment too soon. Petunia came bustling in seconds later and Lily breathed a sigh of relief, happy that her secret was safe for now.

* * *

_11:20 AM_

It was rather hard to pretend to be listening to Captain Smith read scripture when one's sister would shoot strange looks at one every five minutes.

Lily was currently squashed between Lucius and Sirius at the religious service, nearly dying of boredom and pent up excitement from James's visit. Many people had commented on her "glowing look" before the services had started, Lucius included, but none of them could guess the true meaning of her happiness.

Lucius, who looked rather smug, probably thought his make-up breakfast had been the cause, but he could be no further from the truth. One of his hands was intertwined in hers, a simple gesture that he hadn't bothered with in a long time, and Lily was longing to retract her hand from his cold grip. Months, maybe even days ago, she would've died for this kind of attention from him – now, she could only think of getting as far away as possible and getting back into the arms of the man she truly adored.

Petunia, on the other hand, had not said a word to Lily since she'd finished dressing. Her lips were pursed in a furious way, and had been since she had stepped into Lily's stateroom. Lily didn't know what could've set Petunia off so early in the morning, unless it was the telegraph she had received from Vernon earlier, but she was certainly glad she wasn't going to be spending the afternoon with her irritable sister.

Right before the service started, Rose Dewitt-Bukater and her fiancé, Cal Hockley, had invited Lily and Lucius to take a tour of the ship with them after luncheon. Lucius had politely refused, but Lily had accepted, wanting to get away from Lucius and hoping to see James again. Unfortunately, Lucius, probably suspecting she'd try something to see James, had nominated Sirius as her escort and the pompous arse had accepted, ruining her afternoon already.

Maybe, she could try and get away from Sirius while they were out on deck. He hadn't snitched on her meeting yesterday with James and maybe if she bribed him this time, he wouldn't say a word to Lucius either –

Petunia was staring at her again.

Lily could feel her sister's eyes on her, causing her to squirm uncomfortably in her chair. Lucius glanced at her curiously, and she smiled vapidly, wanting him to look away. Petunia's glare intensified, and once Lucius turned his attention back to Captain Smith, Lily twisted her head around, leaning over Sirius, to glare right back at Petunia.

The look in her sister's eyes made her falter for the smallest moment. Instead of anger, her blue orbs held a certain smugness and superiority in them. Lily knew this look. It was the look that caused Petunia's friends to beg her for new gossip at teatime, knowing full well that once Petunia got "the look," she had something very juicy to go on about indeed.

Did Petunia…know something?

She _had_ acted rather strangely after she had come into the stateroom to help Lily dress. Perhaps she had heard James's voice and had wondered…Her sister was _very_ good at eavesdropping or connecting the pieces of a social puzzle –

"Stand up, darling," Lucius hissed, tugging on her elbow.

Lily started and stood quickly, opening her prayer book to the page Sirius had muttered helpfully into her ear. Someone was playing the piano and everyone gathered began to sing, _O God Our Help in Ages Past_. With all the noise and distraction of finding the right page, Lily soon forgot about her sister's look, a mistake she would regret hours later.

* * *

_1:35 PM_

Instead of playing cards, Tom had suggested they play a few games of chess during their meeting in the smoking room instead. He and Tom were the only ones meeting today, with Regulus attending to his mother and Sirius escorting _Lily_ –

Violently, Lucius knocked one of the pawns off the board with his knight. The pawn went rolling off the table and onto the floor, landing without a sound. Tom, however, made a sound of disapproval low in his throat.

"This chess set is a family heirloom," he warned, eyes flashing as Lucius bent down to pick up the fallen piece. "I would appreciate it if you took your anger out on something far less valuable."

Tom always knew. He knew what someone was angry or happy about, when someone was lying, when an adulterous, conniving little bitch was planning on leaving her fiancé for some _spit _of humanity –

Lucius had to control the urge to throw something. He had been in a good mood earlier, until Petunia had asked to speak with him after their luncheon. Lucius had been hesitant at first, until she had told him about Lily's little meeting with _Potter_ this morning. The harpy had shared all the details, including Lily's plan to leave with _him_ once the ship docked and how passionately she kissed a man she _barely even KNEW _–

That information, topped with the sudden news from Tom that Lily had sneaked off last night to be with _him_ had put Lucius in a very thunderous mood indeed.

"So," he replied through clenched teeth, easily taking another pawn after Tom moved. Chess was the one game Tom could loose without losing his temper as well. "What do you think of her – her – "

" – plan to run off with Potter and ruin you? Perfectly predictable of Evans," Tom supplied, making a careless move and leaving his king wide open. "I suppose I shouldn't mention what happened between the two of them last night again…Pity I didn't mention it earlier, you might've made use of your private breakfast to teach her a lesson or two."

Lucius growled under his breath, but said nothing as he moved his castle into position. He became furious at the very mention of Lily's tryst with that man. How could she do something like that? How could she betray him? How _dare_ she try to humiliate him! He wasn't going to allow it, not this time, not ever again. She wasn't going to get away with this –

"What do you suggest I do about it?" he asked, narrowing his eyes as Tom moved. Lucius had always been best at strategy, the reason why he always won chess matches, but even he couldn't formulate a good enough plan to stop his unravelling engagement. His anger was clouding his judgement greatly – it was taking all of his self-control not to _throttle_ the very life out of wee Potter and beat Lily into submission. Tom, who was always level-headed, would have a better idea.

"What do _you_ think you should do about it?" Tom answered, knocking one of Lucius's pawns off the board and then watched impassively as Lucius captured his king and declared, "Checkmate."

"What I want isn't necessarily _legal_," he responded after a momentary pause, reaching for his drink.

"And when has that ever stopped you?" Tom's eyes glinted in amusement. After a moment, he glanced away, eyes focusing on the painting of a ship over the fireplace mantle.

"I would do what I wanted if we weren't on a damnable ship…I can't kill him like I _want_," Lucius ground out, swirling the contents of his glass around in irritated fashion. "because ships are a horrible place to do murder. A body with a bullet through the head or even a missing man will cause all sorts of unwanted questions, even if it is a steerage boy, and everyone will know the killer is on board…Pity we're not in New York yet. They wouldn't think a thing of finding a body in the gutter."

Tom, apparently, wasn't listening to Lucius, his attention still focused on that horrid painting. Lucius waited for the older man to say something, his patience stretching to the limits, and felt his anger grow a notch. Typical. A bloody _painting_ would be more important than the pressing matters at hand.

"You know," Tom said at last, his eyes not moving from the painting as he spoke to Lucius. "That painting would be simply incredible if it wasn't for that ghastly frame…It just steals the beauty right out of it, do you see what I mean? Something simpler would've done nicely, don't you think?"

Lucius resisted rolling his eyes and glanced at the painting, resigned to the fact that his Potter problem wouldn't be solved until Tom got the answer he wanted. However, as Lucius stared mindlessly at the painting and mulled Tom words over and over again, a solution struck him hard and fast. Tom hadn't been talking about the painting at all. In fact, the old man had just given him the answer he'd been looking for.

"I do think you're right, Tom," Lucius replied, feeling at ease. He leaned back into his chair, observing the painting in a new light and with a smug smirk on his face. He knew what to do now, who to look for, and what to say. Lily and her beau were going to get what was coming to them…No one tried to cheat Lucius Malfoy out of what was rightfully his and got away with it unscathed.

"A simple frame would be perfect."

* * *

Thanks for reading and please drop a review. For chapter progress reports, reviewer responses, and future snippets of a new chapter, please visit my livejournal (username: greenconverses or click in the link in my profile). 


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Author's Notes:** All right, as it's two days before HBP (**OMFG!**) comes out and I'm starting to get jittery with anticipation, I decided to post this beast in it's un-betaed form. If there are any spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, or the chapter generally sucks all together, I apologise sincerely and I will post the betaed form once HBP is out, I have read it, and bawled over which character died or about Sirius's death (_again_) if it's a character I don't particularly care for. So anyway, enjoy the chapter and the incredibly nasty cliffhanger. I'll try to have the next instalment up soon.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter or any references to James Cameron's _Titanic_.

**Chapter Sixteen**

_2:45 PM_

R.M.S Titanic 

"Oy! Watch where you're going, you – _oh_." James blinked, straightening his glasses and looked at the steward he had knocked onto the corridor floor. "Hullo, Peter. I haven't seen you for a few days. All right?"

"Well, I'd be better if madmen weren't knocking into me all the time," Peter responded dryly, looking a bit tousled. James reached out a hand to help him up and he took it gratefully. "Where were you rushing off to anyway?"

"Er…No where in particular," James replied vaguely. He didn't know why, but, unlike Sirius, he was rather hesitant to go into detail about what he was doing or anything he'd done today. He leaned against the wall casually, watching Peter dust himself off. "Just…running about, causing mayhem, and all that."

Peter frowned, his watery eyes narrowing.

"Well, don't be causing any mayhem around me," he cautioned, reaching down to pick up the few towels their collision had knocked out of his arms. "Otherwise, I might have to severely reprimand you and take house points in McGonagall fashion."

James grinned, but it tightened and eventually faltered once he got a good look at his friend. Every inch of Peter's body looked positively exhausted. There were bags under his eyes and his movements were slower than normal. His usual well-kept appearance was lacking with uncombed hair, unshaven face, and clothes rumpled and stained.

"Pete, mate, you all right?" he asked in concern. He straightened up and moved closer to Peter. "I haven't see you this bad since the week before N.E.W.T.S…Not sick, are you?"

"No, just overworked," Peter admitted, sounding burdened. He shifted his towels under one arm and ran the free hand through his hair. "The other stewards seem to think that I can work all their shifts for them, since I worked a shift last night for my 'sick' cabin mate – they've been pushing all the work onto me and then going off to do whatever they fancy. I've been working since early morning and _I'm_ an afternoon steward!"

Peter's outburst was unexpected, but James knew he had a reason to be so angry. Peter had always been picked on, even at Hogwarts, because he was smaller and would do just about anything to please someone or to avoid trouble. It was such a pity that even in the work world that he still let himself get trampled on or that some idiot had to bully the poor bloke. Very few people had bothered Peter at Hogwarts after James and Sirius had trounced a few of the bullies up; maybe it was time to teach _Titanic_'s lazy stewards a lesson.

"Which ones were they, Pete?" James asked, beginning to roll up the sleeve of his jacket. "Point them out and I'll rough 'em up a bit. No one bullies you while I'm around."

"No!" Peter cried, just as James turned and began to march toward the crew's quarters. James didn't listen and kept on moving until Peter lunged forward, dropping his towels for the second time. He grabbed James by the jacket collar and yanked him backwards.

James, caught off balance and surprised, flew backward and collided into Peter for a second time. There was a lot of bumbling, fumbling, and misplaced hands until they regained their balance once more.

"_What_?" James demanded, once he had successfully gotten back onto two feet. Peter had two stabilizing hands on one of his arms and both of them were breathing rather heavy, Peter more so. _When_ had Peter gotten so strong?

"I said, _no_," he repeated, looking at James seriously. "I don't need you to go beating up people for me…It just makes things worse."

James stared at Peter, not believing the words that had tumbled from his mouth. Since _when_ did Peter turn down an offer to disable one of his aggressors?

"You…_don't_ want me to do anything? Not even a black eye or a bloody nose or – "

"No," he insisted, removing one of his hands from James's arm, once he was sure that James wouldn't go charging after anyone. "I don't want you to beat up any of my fellow stewards because then I'd have to report you and you'd get arrested or – or – " Peter stuttered momentarily, apparently the mental image of James being cuffed by the Master at Arms terrifying him beyond belief. "I – I heard about your incident on Tuesday – " James stifled an irritated groan – was that _still_ going around? " – and the Master at Arms is already on the lookout for you, _plus_, the jail area is already full and he's in a bad mood – "

"All right, all right," James interrupted, shoving Peter's remaining hand off of him. "I understand. I won't beat anybody else up and consequently get sent to the Master at Arms because of it…but I'm only doing it because _you_ asked me. Wouldn't want to be the cause of me getting arrested, would you?"

James meant for the comment to be a joke, but Peter's face went a shade lighter and he looked a bit shaky as he nodded his head. Maybe he didn't think James was being serious about his promise.

"Right," James said, clapping him once on the shoulder and grinning. "I'll see you around then."

James pushed past Peter and the smaller man bent down to pick up his split towels yet again.

"Oh!" he called, turning around momentarily. "And if you see Remus, don't tell him you saw me."

"Why? Are you two fighting?" Peter asked from his position on the floor.

"Er…Sort of."

"Is it about that Evans girl?"

James felt his heart skip a beat. How did Peter know about he and Lily? He hadn't seen Peter until now, unless talk was going around with the stewards –

"You…know about that?" James asked, trying to sound impassive and uncaring. He looked over his shoulder, hoping his nervousness didn't show.

"Well, yeah…Moony told me everything. Can't – can't keep his mouth shut about it." Peter mumbled, standing up. The towels were draped haphazardly all over his shoulders and arms. "But don't worry. _I_ won't tell him a single thing."

James nodded tightly, muttered a goodbye and went on his way. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but he seemed to weigh a lot more with his increased anger at Remus on his shoulders.

* * *

_3:02 PM_

"You seem absurdly chipper this afternoon. Care to share why?"

Lily glared exasperatedly at Sirius and pulled the collars of her coat up, shielding her face from his prying eyes. She did not want to be talking to him, of all people, at the moment, but she had little else to do and few other options.

The tour of the ship was winding down, just in time for tea. Thomas Andrews had led Lily, Sirius, Cal Hockley, and the Dewitt-Bukater women around for two hours, showing them the workings of his ship (of which he was immensely proud) and giving explanations to any question asked, which had led to a rather interesting conversation about the number of lifeboats on board the ship. It hadn't been a very exciting tour, but it was better than just sitting around all afternoon.

"Not going to tell me, eh?" Sirius continued in a whisper, his voice grating on her nerves.

They were in the bridge and Captain Smith was talking to the four in front. He was saying something about ice warnings and increasing speed, but as an _infuriating _someone was hissing in her ear, she couldn't catch was he was saying.

"Well, it's not your company that's improved my spirits, if that gives you a clue," she retorted under her breath, giving him an overly sweet smile before burrowing further down in her coat. She was _not_ a fan of cold weather.

"That wasn't very nice of you," Sirius muttered. "You can't still be angry at me for that incident on Tuesday, can you?"

"Possibly, but as I'm not talking to you, you'll never know," Lily said pleasantly, trailing after the leaders of their group after they began to move forward, into the steering house. Sirius lagged after her, probably pretending to be put out by her smart reply.

Two of the officers brushed past them, one of them muttering an apology before continuing his conversation with the other man, " - have _you _seen the glasses for the lookouts?"

"Not since we left Southampton," the other replied as they walked out of the bridge. "…bad luck, Mr. Lightoller, very bad luck…"

"What kind of ship doesn't have glasses for their lookouts?" Sirius muttered in her ear, waiting until the officers were out of earshot. "Honestly, that's just asking for trouble, even on an unsinkable ship."

"Do you _really_ believe all that nonsense about _Titanic_ being unsinkable?" Lily asked, lowering her voice so either Mr. Andrews or Captain Smith would not hear her.

"I thought you weren't talking to me."

Lily glared at him, noticing the smirk on his face. She huffed, rolling her eyes, and looked away, at one of the huge steering devices instead. They were _certainly_ more fascinating then the man standing next to her.

"I hope your attitude will change once we arrive in New York," he continued, obviously not taking her hint and dropping any attempts of conversation. "I don't think James will like it very much if you and I are at odds."

Lily didn't turn around because giving him a reaction would just give herself away to him. What was he talking about? He _couldn't _be referring to her and James's plan, could he? Was he just trying to scare her, to get her to confess?

"Whatever are you talking about, Mr. Black?"

"I, of course, am talking about your plans to – excuse my terminology – jump ship with your fiancée and go off with James once you reach New York," Sirius continued, lowing his voice to conspiring tones. "Did you know that you'll be staying at my cousin's boarding house? You remember Andromeda, don't you?"

"Black, your ideas get more and more ridiculous every time you open your mouth," Lily shot back, trying to stay calm and not let him see that his antics were getting to her. She kept her eyes fixated on anything but him, hoping her nerves weren't showing. Maybe if she kept this attitude up, denying all his ideas and making him look like a right arse, he would give up and stop pestering her. But how could he have known all that information? She and James had been _careful_ – "Who on _earth_ fed you such nonsense?"

"James."

"_What_?" Lily cried loosing her cool out of the shock of Sirius's reply. He had to be lying – James would _never_ tell Sirius anything about them. Sirius supported Death Eaters, Sirius worked for Lucius, Sirius _would tell everything_ –

Her exclamation drew the attentions of the other members of their group. Lily was too busy staring at Sirius like a fish to pay any mind to Ruth Dewitt-Bukater's disapproving glare.

"Excuse us for a moment," Sirius muttered, forcefully grabbing her elbow and leading her out of the steering house. It took Lily a moment to realise what was going on and she wrenched her arm out of Sirius's grip the moment they were out on the deck.

"Who – What – _Why_ in God's name would he tell you that?" she demanded, staring at him like something particularly disgusting. It occurred to her then that he might be leading her on, lying to her and trying to pry information about James out of her – but Sirius, even this new model, had always been straight forward with her, never sneaky. "You're a Death Eater! You work for Lucius! You – you – " she trailed off, noticing the strange look on Sirius's face. " – what was James thinking, telling _you_ that sort of information?"

Sirius glanced over his shoulder, grabbed her by the shoulders, and led her into a corner, hiding her away like he had done yesterday. He bent down until his face level with hers and he almost seemed…_nervous_?

"Look," he said in a low voice. "he only told me all that so I wouldn't be shocked out of my mind when I arrived in New York and found you holding up with my best mate."

"But you're – you're – this doesn't make _any_ sense!" she mumbled, utterly confused and shocked. She needed to sit down, but the closest thing to a chair was the wall and she leaned against it, pressing a palm to her forehead.

"I'm – I'm not _exactly_ a Death Eater, all right?" Sirius whispered after a moment.

Lily stared at him, slowing lowering her hand away from her face. He was wincing, as if expecting a fatal blow from her.

What did he mean, not a Death Eater? He'd been hanging around Lucius and Riddle all voyage long! He had even _told_ her that he was one of them! What the sodding _hell_ was he playing at?

"Then _what _are you?" she snapped, levelling her stare.

His eyes darted around the deck nervously before settling back onto her.

"A spy," he said, his voice so low that Lily had to strain to her the words before they were blown away by the wind. "For the Order of the Phoenix…surely you've heard of that before?"

Lily nodded slowly, remembering many occasions when she had stumbled upon Lucius ranting and raving about Dumbledore's Order. She had always secretly approved of it and had always wondered if Sirius was a member. Now, a certain amount of things about him made sense and –

Wait a _moment_.

"So…So all that – _everything_ you said on Tuesday, about switching sides and following Lucius…that was a _lie_?" she demanded, fixing her narrow gaze on him.

Sirius nodded and cringed, obviously sensing an Evans rant coming his way.

"You – you – you utter _PRAT_!" she cried angrily, striking out at his arm with all the force that she could muster. "Do you know how upset you made me? Do you know what I almost _did _– you _idiot_ – _Christ_, Sirius!"

"Lily," he began bracingly, holding up a hand and trying to get her attention. "it was for your own good – "

"_My own good_?" she exploded, prodding him in the chest violently. "A fat lot _you_ know about what's good for me! You foul, you _worthless_ – "

The rest of her protests were rudely interrupted and muffled as Sirius slapped a hand over her mouth. She glared, her fury intensified, and she considered biting his hand in return for his bad manners.

"Keep your voice down and listen, will you?" he hissed, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "I lied to you because if I hadn't, I'd probably be _dead_ and you'd have worse than a little bruise on your cheek." Lily glared at his callous mention of that incident and wrenched his hand away from her face. "It had to be done. Riddle would've found out otherwise – "

"_How_? I wouldn't have told him – It's not like Tom Riddle can read minds." She replied scathingly.

"Can't he?" Sirius responded levelly, not taking his eyes off of her. "Haven't you ever been around him when he says something rather peculiar or when he mentions a topic that you've _just been_ thinking about?"

She stared at him, remembering all the times when Riddle had done something like that, when he'd mention something like the time when Lily would be worried about it or ask her about her Beauxbatons days with a little smirk on his face.

"I've seen it Lily – don't you dare try to tell me that Riddle can't read minds because he can and – and – I was _afraid_, all right?

"I was afraid if I told you, he'd see and find out everything and then not only _I'd _be dead, but Remus and James and Peter, and I couldn't bear – I – " His voice cracked slightly. "Not only that, but then you'd get hurt because you knew about it and you wouldn't have said anything – " he paused again, looking away and trying to calm himself down. He ran a hand through his hair, took a deep breath, and turned back to facing her. "I knew lying to you would hurt you and you might do something stupid because of it, but it was the _only way_. I didn't want to cause all the trouble that I did; I just wanted to keep my friends _safe_. I'm telling the truth.

"Please believe me, Lily."

His intense blue eyes were begging her and his face was so desperate –

The door to the bridge burst open, expelling the remaining members of their group in a talkative mass. Sirius broke eye contact with her and turned around, following after the rest. His shoulders were slumped in a defeated way and he was trudging along very slowly.

Lily felt her heart break at the sight of him looking so dejected and she hurriedly ran to catch up with him. She knew he was telling the truth; James would never tell Sirius about them if he didn't trust him absolutely, and Sirius was so unfailingly loyal…He'd never meant to hurt anyone, and he had done the right thing…

She walked along Sirius, casually slipped a hand in his, and gave it a soft squeeze.

"I believe you."

* * *

_3:32 PM_

James was whistling an upbeat tune as he walked along the corridor, trying to use up all of the restless energy churning inside of him. He'd been wandering around the entire third class all day, trying to avoid Remus and the temptation to sneak back into the first class for another visit with Lily at the same time.

He hadn't been this furious with Remus in a long time. The only time he had seen his friend was at lunch, when they'd sat side-by-side in a tense, angry silence. Remus hadn't made any effort to speak to him and James had returned the favour, not even looking at him. He hated fighting with his friends, but Remus had been such an arse last night, he deserved it.

Before his encounter with Peter, James had run across Sirius during his wanderings; the other man had been trailing far behind a group of fellow first class passengers, looking sullen about the whole thing. James had been leaning against the wall near a gate (pondering the pros and cons of picking the lock) when the group had past (he was _sure_ he'd seen Lily amongst them) and spotted Sirius soon after. They'd had a brief conversation, barely five minutes, in which James told him of his and Lily's plans. He'd needed to tell one of his friends, needed their approval on the matter, and Sirius was the only one he trusted absolutely at the moment.

Sirius had reacted with surprise, of course, and then expressed more concerns about what Lily would do to him once she found him in New York than about Malfoy or anything else. Before he could make any encouraging or discouraging remarks, his group called and he had to leave, though promising to talk to James (and sort things out with Remus) later tonight.

The rest of the afternoon was incredibly uneventful, as James had gone out of his way to avoid trouble, mostly because of Peter's request. Without the grounding from his friend, he probably would've gone and tried to see Lily again, which would've successfully ruined all of their plans thus far.

But staying away from Lily was just so _hard_…

Brushing past an elderly couple speaking in a language James didn't recognise, he rounded the corner into another, larger corridor. He'd already been up and down this corridor several times today – it was the most popular and widely used in the third class areas. At the moment, it was the least populated James had seen it all day, even with the shrieking children running up and down the length, their parents hurrying after them, and the terrified stewards trying to stay out of their way.

James walked a few paces, glancing around at the activity occurring. He sidestepped a pack of screaming children, grinning at the sight of such playfulness, and then stopped suddenly in the middle of the corridor, going numb as he caught sight of a horrifying picture ahead.

Just a few strides beyond, standing near a gated stairwell, were two burly stewards and one malevolent Severus Snape. Snape was talking to the stewards, a serious look on his twisted face, and his black eyes were darting around the corridor, looking for something –

Or some_one_.

There were only a select few who could make Snape's beady eyes burn with such loathing and determination, and James was proud to say he was one of them. Snape _had_ to be looking for him – why else would he be down in the third class, looking like he had just eaten something particularly disgusting, and talking with stewards none the less?

James turned quickly on his heel, dread flowing through him, and he hurried back toward the corner before Snape could spot him. He didn't want to stuck around for this confrontation; he didn't want to know what Snape wanted to him, as he was positive it was going to be something _horrible_…

"There he is!"

Too late.

James could feel Snape's eyes on the back of his neck and heard the sounds of heavy footsteps quickly following after him. He slowed down, knowing if he ran, the stewards would probably tackle him and make a scene. It would be better to get caught, not doing anything wrong, than run before he knew what was going on.

"_Potter_!"

A scowl on his face, James stopped and turned, dreading this.

Snape had caught up to him fast. The other man was already in front of him, a satisfied sneer on his face.

"What do _you_ want, Snape?" James demanded, trying to look as innocent as he could with a snarl on his features. "Third class is a bit too classy for you, isn't it?"

Snape's pale skin flushed and his sneer faltered for the briefest moments. James felt a rush of satisfaction, glad his insults still had the same effect on Snape as they'd had at Hogwarts.

"Trust me, Potter, I wouldn't come into this sty without a perfectly good reason," Snape replied, glaring. The two trollish stewards were hovering threateningly over his shoulder, glaring at James as if they expected him to throw a punch and run. The taller, ape-like man actually cracked his knuckles in warning. "Lucius Malfoy sent me to find you. He requests your presence in his stateroom and he'd like to…ask you a few questions."

James arched an eyebrow, maintaining a cool façade as his insides twisted in panic. What could Malfoy want with _him_? He couldn't _know_ –

Maybe this wasn't about Lily at all, James realised with a cold stab of panic. Maybe Malfoy had discovered that he was a member of the Order, maybe Sirius had been discovered, maybe Remus _was_ the spy –

"About what?"

Snape sneered again, something vicious lurking in his face.

"I'm afraid you'll find out when you arrive."

"Sorry, but you can tell him I'm not interested – "

James's hasty escape was ruined by a meaty hand clamping down painfully on his shoulder.

"Refusal is out of the question, Potter," Snape said airily, apparently delighted that the steward-troll was cutting off the circulation in James's arm. "You'll either come of your own free will or Crabbe and Goyle here – " he gestured to the ape currently crushing the bones in James's arm and the other watching with hungry eyes. " – will persuade you by force."

Goyle chuckled, cracking his knuckles again for emphasis. Usually, James wasn't one to back down from a fight, but as it would be him against two hulking ogres and he would most likely end up being dragged to Malfoy looking like a piece of meat…

"Fine," he said, glaring. Crabbe loosened his iron grip on his arm and James tugged it away before any further damage could be wrought. He and the other monkey took up positions on either side of James, acting like guards escorting a condemned prisoner.

"Perfect," Snape said, a greasy smile spreading across his face.

And, if his growing feeling of dread was correct, James was on his way to his death sentence.

* * *

_4:08 PM_

"Ah, there you are darling."

Lily slid out of her stateroom, shutting the door softly behind her.

Lucius was seated in an armchair near the fire, reading a book. He looked at her as she approached, one of his eyebrows arching in an amused fashion.

"Yellow, dear? You know your sister won't approve."

Lily stopped herself from rolling her eyes just in time. She had changed dresses once she had gotten back from the tour a half an hour ago, trading her tight-laced green dress for a loose, flowing yellow and blue sun dress. It was the most comfortable out of all the dresses she owned and Petunia could throw a fit for all she cared.

"Lucius, you…you didn't go into the safe this afternoon by any chance, did you?" she asked, ignoring his comment and pressing on about more urgent matters. "I found it open when I went in to change and I didn't take anything out."

Lucius's forehead crinkled in thought and he set his book down on his lap, keeping his place with his finger.

"No, I didn't touch it. Your sister found it open as well…I do think your maid or one of the stewards might be trying to steal some of my belongings. A few of the jewels are missing."

"Oh…I see," she muttered, shocked that someone would betray their trust like that and steal something of great value.

"I wouldn't worry, darling. I have Severus looking into it, and the Master at Arms will be here shortly to make the arrest once we've discovered the…ah, culprit." He replied, looking into the fire, a faint smile on his features.

She nodded, sinking into the armchair across from him, and looking anywhere but at him. She hadn't come into the sitting room to discuss thieves. She had been determined, making up her mind the moment she left for the tour, to break off her engagement to Lucius today. But now, it wouldn't be appropriate to break their engagement, not when Lucius already had important things on his mind, not when such a shocking thing had occurred.

Her engagement ring burned on her finger and the idea of being engaged to this man a moment longer tore at her insides. She wanted _James_, not Lucius –

"Lucius, we…we need to talk," she burst out moments later, twisting her engagement ring around her finger, trying to stop the burning.

He looked at her, his eyebrows knotted together in question.

"Do we?"

Lily gulped, gathering all of her courage, and stared at him in determination.

"Yes," she replied, sitting straighter in her chair. "We – I don't think…What I mean is – "

She wrung her hands together, the burning of the ring growing greater as she stumbled over her words. She had to do this, proper or no –

"What _is_ it, Lily?" he demanded, his impatience showing.

"I – I don't want to get married to you any more."

Once the words were out of her mouth, it felt as though a great weight had been taken off her chest. She breathed, relieved, even as Lucius's face grew dark with bewilderment and in anger.

"You – _what_?" he demanded, leaning forward in his chair, his eyes narrowed to slits.

"You heard me. I said, _I_ _don't want to get married to you_." She repeated, feeling slightly more confident and courageous than before. "I _don't_ love you – I _never_ loved you, as much as I tried to fool myself otherwise…There's someone else – "

"_Who_?" he growled, throwing his book down and rising from his chair, his face thunderous. He leaned on the mantle over the fireplace, glaring at her out of the corner of her eye. "It better not be – "

"James," she interrupted. "I'm in love with James, and I'm leaving with him once we arrive at – "

"Lily, this is _preposterous_! You've gone mad!" he interrupted, turning to glare at her. "You can't love that _filth_ – _you don't know him_!"

"I love him more than I'd ever love _you_!" she cried, standing from her chair. She wrenched the large diamond off her finger and held it out to him. "What was preposterous was accepting _your_ proposal in the first place!"

His face turned even darker and he walked toward her in a menacing manner. He snatched the ring from her out held hand, looking ready to crush it under his fingers.

"You're not leaving me, not for some worthless rag; I won't allow it," he breathed, his face inches from hers. He was flushed in anger and she was breathing heavy, furious at his insults. "I won't let my family and myself be publicly humiliated by a _little girl _and _a boy not good enough to wipe grime off my shoes_!"

"If you try and stop me, if you hurt James – I'll – I'll go to the police about you and your little 'organisation!'" she cried, burning in anger. Lily suddenly felt a rush of satisfaction seeing Lucius shocked expression and knowing that she had the upper hand for once. "James told me everything about your bloody Death Eaters and – "

"_Listen here, you little tramp – _" he roared, grabbing her left hand, his face murderous. Lily froze, screwing up her face in expectation, knowing what was coming –

There was a knock at the door.

Lucius glared at her, as if blaming this interruption on her, and then dropped her wrist, moving away. He shoved her engagement ring in his pocket with another glare and muttered, "We'll finish this _later_," in a menacing tone.

Lily turned away, not wanting to look at him a moment longer and tried to calm down. It wouldn't be good to appear red faced and angry to the Master at Arms. With their argument, she had forgotten all about jewel thieves, and he stomach sank in heavy anticipation. She didn't want to see this, but Lucius wouldn't let her walk out now.

"Come in," Lucius commanded, sounding like he had composed himself already. He was a master at concealing his emotions, as Lily was well aware.

Lily kept her back to the door, hearing it open and the footsteps of two people enter. One pair continued on into the room and the other stopped at the doorway.

"I've located our suspect, sir," Snape said, oily satisfaction apparent from his smug tone. "Do you want me to bring him inside so the Master at Arms can make the arrest?"

"Of course," Lucius responded, his tone laced with the impatience so characteristic of him.

Lily turned back around, having calmed down enough so she wouldn't scream at the next person who talked to her, just as Snape stepped outside to bring the supposed culprit in to face his jury.

Standing by the divan and squinting at something on the fabric, was the portly Master at Arms. He nodded cordially in greeting to Lily and then turned to Lucius, swinging a pair of handcuffs around in a manner that suggested he had already decided to make the arrest.

"I hope you have significant evidence to prove the suspect guilty this time," he spoke in gravely tones, glaring pointedly across the room. "I'm a very busy man, Mister Malfoy, and I don't have time to be running to your very false alarm."

"It isn't, sir," Lucius replied calmly. He was leaning against the mantle again, eyeing the door with an apprehensive, hungry look and a peculiar smile on his face. "There'll be enough evidence – trust me."

The confidence in his tone and his strange body language began to brew a storm of dread in Lily's stomach. She glanced to the door and then back, her feeling growing worse. Something horrible was about to occur, something wasn't right about all this –

The door opened again and Snape stepped through, looking particularly smug. He was followed by two huge men dressed in stewards uniforms, and squashed between them, looking thoroughly uncomfortable and wronged, was –

"You _again_?" the Master at Arms asked, his moustache twitching as his frown deepened.

Lily's mouth went dry and her stomach twisted into horrible knots. She took a step back, her knees weak, and placed a stabilising hand on the armchair behind her. She shot Lucius an accusing glare and demanded, "_What is going on_?"

* * *

James knew there had been something suspicious about Snape appearing below decks, telling him that Malfoy wanted to speak with him. That alone warranted enough suspicion on James's part; it had been two days since their dinner party and Malfoy had clearly expressed that he detested James. Even as he was being squashed between Crabbe and Goyle in the lift, James hadn't believed it would be anything serious, until he had caught sight of the Master at Arms entering the Malfoy stateroom.

He'd tried to ask any of them then, even _Snape_, what was happening, but they had ignored him. He didn't understand why the Master needed to be involved with all of this. He hadn't done anything had to Malfoy, unless he had decided to press charges for that incident on Tuesday anyway…but they had cleared up that matter. Something bad was happening, something James didn't like at all –

Snape had just come back outside, having gone in with the Master moments earlier, probably to talk with Malfoy.

"He'll see you now, Potter," Snape said his voice greased with a satisfaction of some sort. He looked like a puppy, eager to serve his master.

"What – "

Crabbe cut off any of James's protests with a guttural grunt and a meaty hand on his forearm. Goyle, following Crabbe's lead, clamped one of his fists around James's other arm, and they marched him into the sitting room.

The first thing James noticed was the elegance of the sitting room, right down to the gold trimmings on the porthole. At the sight of the expensive oak panelling and swirling carpet, James was immediately drawn back to earlier in the day, when he had been in Lily's stateroom, kissing her senseless…

James missed the Master at Arms's cutting remark as his eyes darted around the room, looking for Lily. If Malfoy were up to something, she'd be here…

And there she was, standing behind an armchair, her pale cheeks flushed and looking shaky. Her emerald eyes were frantic, glancing from him to Malfoy and then back again.

"_What is going on_?" she demanded of Malfoy, her voice cracking slightly. She looked confused and she shot a glare in his direction; apparently, Malfoy hadn't told her anything about this either.

"I'd like to know that myself," James said, shrugging off Crabbe and Goyle's hands impatiently. He glanced at Malfoy, trying not to betray any sort of emotion. "When Snape said you wanted to me questions, I didn't think I was in for the Spanish Inquisition."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a small smile appear on Lily's pale face and the weight on his heart lightened considerably.

The moment quickly faded as Malfoy stepped away from the fireplace where he had been leaning oh so impressively, a strange look on his face.

"Delightful to see you as always, Potter," Malfoy said crisply, stopping in front of James and staring him down coolly.

"Malfoy," he returned impassively, matching Malfoy's stare. "Care to tell me why I'm here?"

Malfoy chuckled under his breath, bouncing like an excited child on the balls of his feet.

"Several of my possessions went missing earlier in the day, Potter," he said airily, turning his back to James and walking toward the Master at Arms. "Since you seem to enjoy stealing things that rightfully belong to me – " He shot a dark look at Lily, who glared him down defiantly. " – I thought you would be a primary suspect."

James stared at him, dumbfounded. He was accusing him of _stealing_ jewels? What ever happened to a simple _talk_?

"W – What?" he sputtered a moment later, taken aback. He glanced at Lily briefly, hoping she didn't believe any of this nonsense. She looked rather surprised as well, but her gaze was nothing but warmth for him. "What – _no_ – you've gone _mad_, Malfoy. When could I have ever found a time to steal something of _yours_?"

Malfoy shrugged, obviously thinking it over his answer carefully.

"Well, perhaps you found the time to sneak into the safe when you paid _my_ fiancée a visit this morning," he said, his tone loosing the airy quality and gaining a hard, furious edge.

James gaped at him. _How could he have_ –

"Lucius, this is absurd!" Lily said, coming to his defence at last. "I was with James the whole time, he couldn't have stolen anything – "

"How would you know that, _darling_?" Lucius asked, turning on her. "From what I was told, he…_distracted_ you very well."

"You – You – " James stumbled over the words he longed the throw at Malfoy, hate surging in him.

"_I _didn't do _anything_," He declared, feeling desperation beginning to set in on him. Five pairs of hostile eyes were on him and the last pair, the one he cared about the most, was simply staring, her eyes a sea of emerald confusion. "I don't know what you're playing at Malfoy, but this is a bunch of shit. I've _never_ stolen anything – "

"Never?" Malfoy interrupted, looking positively evil. He had come back around the divan, glowering at James disdainfully. "Then I suppose your early days as a pickpocket don't count?"

If he eyes could accomplish such a feat, James was sure they would've popped out of his head. How did Malfoy know about _that_? It was one thing to know about this morning, but James's _past_…The only person he had told recently about that was –

_Lily_.

She wouldn't have, she _didn't_ –

"Search him," Malfoy commanded, turning away with one last disdainful look and walking toward Lily.

"_What?_" James demanded, but it was no use.

The Master at Arms had already stepped forward, asking him to talk his overcoat off. He froze momentarily, shock and utter disbelief flowing through him, before he slowly took the coat off and handed it to the Master.

James had gone through searches before and he knew the routine. But he had never felt as nervous about the outcome before. He didn't know why he felt nervous; he knew he was innocent, that he hadn't stolen a thing from Malfoy – but there was something about the unfriendly glint in Malfoy's cold eyes, something about the way he and Snape were already sharing triumphant looks, something about the way Lily was _doubting_ him –

Mechanically, he lifted his arms, letting Crabbe pat down his shirt and sleeves. He glanced across the room at Lily, who was gripping the armchair so tight that her knuckles were white. Malfoy was standing next to her, a possessive hand on her shoulder, and James felt a wave of anger –

"Is this what's missing?" the Master at Arms asked, breaking the tense silence.

James tore his eyes away from Lily and watched, horrified, as the Master at Arms held up a glittering diamond and emerald necklace that had suddenly appeared from his coat's right pocket.

* * *

Pwuah! I _enjoy_ being evil.

Thanks for reading and please push the pretty purple button to send me a review, nice or nasty.

Enjoy reading _Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince_ everyone and try not to ingest _too_ much caffeine! (A warning coming from the author who plans not to sleep or do _anything_ remotely human-like until she's finished.)


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Author's notes:** Sorry, sorry, sorry, _SORRY_ this chapter took so bloody long to put out! Everything just seemed to work against me for this one – _Half-Blood Prince_ came out (which, by the way, I completely loved and read in seven hours) and put me in a funk for about two weeks, then school started and, of course, junior year happens to be the worst year in high school, and I got a new job and the hours are horrible, and I got into another writing funk, and life in general just sucks. So, that's why you all had to wait three months for a new chapter.

There is some good news, however. I recently bought _Titanic _on special edition DVD and am totally excited to write again! Deleted scenes! Joy! Rapture!

Er…Anyway, Happy Halloween.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter or any references to James Cameron's _Titanic_.

**Chapter Seventeen**

_4:28 PM_

R.M.S Titanic 

The necklace glittered triumphantly, catching the light from the sitting room and bouncing small patches of light around the room like a sinister chandelier, hanging from the Master at Arms' podgy finger.

"Yes, that's it."

Lily blinked as Lucius's hand left her shoulder, and suddenly, her emotions crashed into her. She couldn't breathe, and she didn't want to _think_ – not about Lucius, not about James, not about that bloody necklace –

It was like watching a play from the very worst seats in the theatre. Lily stood helplessly in the back, removed from the situation and too frightened to move forward, too horrified to make sense of the situation, too heartbroken to care any more.

The Master handed Lucius the necklace. James's eyes watched the handoff with absolute shock.

"What…_What the fucking hell?_" his hoarse, hysterical voice cried not a moment later. "I didn't – _how_ – "

"Apparently, you're not as good of a thief as you thought," Lucius said in response, putting the necklace into his own pocket for safekeeping. "Had you not been dropping hints and leaving clues everywhere, you might've gotten away with it…Despicable, really, what means one will use to get something as simple as jewels."

Lucius turned his head, fixing his cold eyes on Lily.

Suddenly, everything that had taken place hit her dead on. Her knees buckled and she drew a great, gasping breath, no longer part of the audience but an active player in the story.

The reason James had been in her wardrobe this morning was because he was looking for the necklace; he hadn't been there to surprise her or to say good morning.

Hadn't she found him fiddling with the safe when she'd first opened the door? Hadn't he been surprised and tucked something into his pocket before he went to _distract_ her? Hadn't he _told_ her, in plain English, that he had been a thief and that he was particularly good with _locks_?

The men were staring at her, expecting her to say something, but how could she say something when her voice was stuck in her throat, her brain was a muddle of emotions and thoughts that she couldn't control, and her heart was beating a painful tattoo against her chest? _How _could she say _anything_, when her fiancé's necklace had just been pulled out of the pocket of the man she loved, who had _supposedly_ loved her back?

_How?_

"I didn't do this!" James cried, drawing her attention to him for the first time in minutes. "Don't believe them, Lily!"

She hadn't wanted to look at him, had never wanted to see his handsome face again, but her heart betrayed her. The two stewards he had come in with were pressing his arms behind his back, waiting for the Master at Arms to handcuff their prisoner. He wasn't looking at anyone but her, his eyes desperate and pleading. Pleading with her to believe him, to set him free.

"You know I wouldn't do this, Lily – Snape came down to get me, he must have put in my pocket – "

"Shut up!" Lucius roared, turning.

He hit James hard across the face. The blow snapped James's head back and he stood very still, momentarily stunned. Then, overcoming it, he turned to face Lucius and, snarling, spat in his face.

Lucius howled indignantly, wiping his face with one hand and balling the other into a vicious fist – James skewed his face in anticipation –

Lily lunged forward, spurred into movement by a sudden, fierce urge to protect James; she knew how it felt to be on the receiving end of Lucius's angry fists.

"_Stop it_!" she cried desperately, grabbing his wrist with her hands and holding him back.

He shoved her away forcefully and she stumbled, crashing into an end table on her way down to the carpeted floor. The fall knocked the breath out of her and she looked up, gasping as pain laced up her side.

"Really,_ that's enough_ – !" the Master at Arms exclaimed warningly, but James had slammed an elbow into the stomach of the smaller steward, who let go and promptly doubled over in pain. James tore his arm away from the grasp of the other steward, who was seemingly too stunned by his partner's fall to do anything else, and launched himself at Lucius.

The two men went flying to the floor in a tangle of limbs and strangled curses. James was on top in seconds, his fists furiously punching every bit of Lucius he could find, while Lucius returned any blow he could, his face snarling. James gained the advantage quickly and in moments had cocked his fist high above, ready to ram it into Lucius's face –

"James, _stop it_!" Lily cried, terrified by his violent side.

His fist quivered, held back by her words. He glanced up, locking eyes with her for one moment, until Lucius seized his chance and ploughed his fist into James's chin. Instantly, they were back at it, pounding each other ferociously.

The uninjured steward and the Master at Arms, who until this moment had stood stunned, watching the brawl take place, suddenly leapt into the fray. They heaved James, whose nose was bleeding and whose glasses were askew, off of Lucius and pressed him flat on the floor, quickly cuffing his hands behind his back.

Lucius sat up, hair coming out of his bow, clothes dishevelled, and lip bleeding.

He sneered at James's struggling form in front of him, wiping the blood off his lip with the sleeve of his coat.

"Well," he said, his chest heaving, "I think you've certainly proven yourself guilty now."

"_I DIDN'T_ – " James's carpet-muffled voice protested.

"Even if I had slipped you the necklace," Snape's oily voice commented from over by the doorway. Lily's eyes darted over to him. He was holding up James's forgotten coat, looking at the label with particular interest, "it wouldn't even have been _your_ pocket I slipped it into. This overcoat is the property of one S. Black."

"_What?_" James demanded, glancing up with a shocked expression on his face.

Snape ignored him and glanced to the Master, as if expecting a great revelation. He was not disappointed.

"That _was_ reported stolen a few days ago," the Master replied, his brow furrowed in thought. "A Mr. R.A. Black came to my office; said his brother's coat had gone missing."

"Tsk, tsk…" continued Snape, delighted. "Stealing from old friends now, Potter? Really, I expected better from you…"

"Haven't you enough proof yet? Get him out of my sight!" Lucius bellowed, pointing a finger at the door and glaring at the Master at Arms. He was standing now, looking sinister in his rumpled suit and flushed face.

The Master at Arms grunted, glowering at Lucius briefly, before hauling James to his feet and shoving him into the awaiting arms of the two stewards.

And then James looked at Lily.

Lily, who was still lying on the floor, helpless, next to the overturned end table. Lily, who was so heartbroken, so betrayed that she couldn't even think straight. Lily, who looked away as the man – the _thief _she had come to love pleaded his case to her with his desperate hazel eyes.

"Lily, _please_ – you _know _I wouldn't do this. I didn't – I would _never _– not to you, not – "

"OUT!" Lucius shouted.

She risked one last look at him. He was struggling wildly against the two stewards, who looked inclined to put him out of his misery, and his eyes sought hers, begging silently as his verbal pleas fell on deaf ears.

They dragged him out the door, the Master at Arms saying things like, "C'mon lad, don't be difficult," as he fought tooth and nail against them.

"Don't believe him, Lily, _just don't_! You know I didn't do it!" he cried, as the two stewards lugged him into the corridor and out of the sight. Snape and the Master at Arms exited the room a moment later, following after the struggling trio. "_You know me_!"

The sitting room was quiet as the sounds of James's struggle faded down the corridor and Lily was left with her shock and jumbled emotions. She sat up, drained, her hair falling out of its once neat chignon, and placed her head in her trembling hands.

She wanted to cry, felt that she should, but no tears would come free from where they were gathering behind her eyes. Perhaps she had cried too much this week, perhaps she could no longer cry at all, like the way she couldn't feel anything anymore. Not the pain she knew that must be in her heart, not the rage that had to be burning inside her, not the despair that would be clouding her senses –

The sitting room door closed with a snap.

Lily glanced up, her trembling increasing, as she realised Lucius had not left the room.

"So," he said lightly, standing over her with a sickly sweet smirk on his face. "_What _was this about not wanting to be married to me?"

He yanked her to her feet a moment later and slapped her hard, probably harder than he had hit James.

She hardly felt it.

"It looks like you don't have a choice now," Lucius muttered viciously.

He grabbed her left hand, his tight grip painful, and forced his engagement ring back on her finger.

"_You're mine_."

* * *

_5:17 PM_

"Over here lad."

One hand gripping James's upper forearm, the Master at Arms led him over to the far side of his office where a white, L-shaped pipe stood waiting. James didn't move as the Master unlocked the cuffs around his wrists.

"All right, hands in front."

Mechanically, James did as he was told, hanging his hands in front of him, waiting for the cuffs to go back on. The Master slapped one on his left wrist, wrapped the chain around the pipe, and then clamped the other shut around the right wrist.

"That's _it_?" Snape's voice demanded from the doorway.

James's eyes flickered to him briefly, disgust rising in his chest, before turning away. He stared at the glaringly white wall, wanting to be left _alone_.

"You're just going to tie him to a pipe and _leave_ him?" Snape continued, the distaste obvious in his tone.

"Do you have any better ideas?" the Master snapped in return. "All our cells are full with stowaways or _other_ criminals…I could always just let him go, if you find this unsuitable."

James wouldn't have gone if they _had_ let him go. He'd rather stay shackled to a pipe than face the world and everything that had been turned upside down.

He wasn't going to think about it.

Or her.

_Especially_ not about her.

If he didn't think about it, than he could avoid – if even for another second – feeling the heavy pain settling in his chest.

_She hadn't believed him_.

He skewed his eyes shut, willing himself to _stop_ it, to focus on whatever the hell Snape was saying instead of the storm that was brewing inside of him or the heavy weight of disbelief that was settling on his shoulders or – _or_ –

"Fine," Snape said, his footsteps crossing the threshold and coming closer. "But Mr. Malfoy, I'm sure, would rather have _me_ keep watch over him than one of _your_ charges."

"Mr. Snape – " the Master began, sounding exasperated.

James interrupted him, speaking for the first time since he had arrived. He hadn't stopped screaming for…for _her_ to believe him until they dragged him into the lift and then he had been quiet, realising what exactly had happened, what she had done –

"Just want to gloat in my face for another few hours, _Snivellus_?"

His voice was hoarse and flat, lacking the usual bite and ferocity that he used with Snape. The insult tacked onto the end had no sting, just as dead as James was feeling.

"Really, Potter, resorting to schoolyard insults…How childish and utterly typical of you," Snape replied. A chair scraped against the hardwood floor, and he heard the Master at Arms sigh in compliance before his footsteps faded into the next room. "Must be feeling a bit pathetic now, trying to sneak around Lucius Malfoy…"

James grit his teeth together, knowing that he wasn't talking _at all_ about his supposed thievery. He opened his eyes, staring determinedly at the wall in front of him.

"It wouldn't have worked, you know…All you were was a novelty item to her." Snape's voice had lowered to a whisper and James could just picture the sneer hanging right under his huge nose. "After a few days in the real world, the novelty would have worn off and she'd have wanted out. She would've seen the _real_ you, the one _I_ know…The pathetic rat disguised as a strutting peacock. What could _you_ have offered her anyway? You have nothing and she's used to _everything_."

He _wasn't _going to think about it. He wasn't going to let Snape get to him; he was going to ignore that greasy voice, going to use all of his self-control and not take anything to heart.

But it was _true_. Every word, every syllable was _true_.

"After _you_ couldn't provide her with _everything_, she would've come crawling back to her engagement, to the man she belongs to…And you _knew_ that, didn't you?" Snape paused for a moment, trying to go for a dramatic effect before he continued, "Well, at least you should now…She didn't even try to defend you, did she?"

"SHUT UP!" James roared, rattling his cuffs against the pipe as he tried to lunge at the sitting man, giving Snape the reaction he had been fishing for.

He didn't care, didn't care one bit. Snape could have his reaction because he wouldn't get a moment to savour it; James would kill him for mentioning it, for bringing the stab of hurt back, and breaking his defences.

"Touched a nerve, did I?" Snape asked lightly, observing James with an amused glint in his eyes. He was turned toward James, his legs propped up on the corner of the desk he was sitting at, hands folded on his lap. "Did you honestly believe that you and your lady love would live happily ever after in the slums of New York? You're more deluded than I thought."

"I told you _to shut you bloody mouth_!" James shouted, his temper taking control.

Perhaps Snape read the familiar violent glint in James's eye or remembered that his legs weren't shackled to the pipe like his hands were, but in the next moment, he had drawn a silver pistol from the folds of his suit jacket and was pointing it lazily at James. James stopped struggling almost instantly, his temper softened by the lethal threat Snape was presenting.

"I think, Potter, that I'm the one who should be giving orders here," Snape said softly, his voice laced with malice. He kept the pistol trained on James as he put his feet down and rose from his chair. "Just give me a reason, and I'll do it."

"You don't need a reason, Snape," James said levelly, glaring into Snape's fiery black eyes as he stepped closer. He felt the cool metal of the barrel of the pistol press against his temple and gulped, a prickle of fear shimmering down his spine. The angry, arrogant side of him, however, refused to be intimidated by _Snivellus_ and continued, "If you want to kill me so badly, do it. Put me out of my misery."

James wouldn't put it past Snape to actually consider the pros and cons of unloading a bullet into his brain. But a few tense moments later, the barrel, pressed hard into the skin of his temple, pulled away completely.

"A heroic end, shot down by your worst enemy…Typical Gryffindor death. I do think you would enjoy that far too much," Snape said at last. "I'd rather let you live and suffer…you must be going through incredible _mental_ agony now and it'd be a shame to put an end to it so soon."

"Coward," James spat.

He saw Snape's finger flicker toward the trigger.

"Coward, am I?" Snape whispered, his tone furious. "Don't tempt me, Potter."

Instead of firing a bullet to the head, Snape settled with swiftly ramming his fist into James's stomach.

James doubled over and sank to his knees, the air going out of his lungs in one pain filled grunt. He wrenched his eyes shut, a sickening, fiery pain filling him, and saw stars dancing beneath his eyelids. He coughed violently, hoping that he was not about to retch all over Snape's shiny shoes.

"Your newfound _physical_ agony comes with compliments from myself and Lucius Malfoy," Snape said lightly, the oak chair creaking as he sat down again.

"Bastard," James breathed, wincing as every movement caused a sharp stab of pain to attack his stomach.

"Yes, well, I can live with that."

* * *

_6:12 PM_

"Spent a long enough time in the corridor, didn't you Regulus?" Sirius said, looking up from the book he had been distracting himself with for the past half an hour, his brother's copy of _Pureblooded Genealogies in Britain_.

Regulus had been out in the corridor for at least ten minutes, after answering a knock at the door.

"Who was it?"

"A steward," Regulus responded, stalking over to Sirius's four-poster bed where he was sitting. He tossed an overcoat on his legs and continued, "Apparently, they found your coat a little while ago."

"What coat?" Sirius demanded, staring perplexedly at the coat covering his legs.

Regulus threw him an exasperated look as he walked back over to the desk, probably trying to finish the sonnet he had been composing about Riddle's eyebrows.

"The one that went missing earlier this week. I told you I couldn't find it – you've been borrowing mine for the past few days."

Well, that certainly explained why he had been feeling incredibly cramped for the past few days.

"Oh. Right."

Sirius had completely forgotten about his missing coat. He hadn't thought it was a problem, as he had and could afford other coats, but Regulus had reported it to the Master at Arms because he was an idiot and liked to file constant complaints.

"Where did they find it?" Sirius asked, casually flipping a page in his book. "On the Boat Deck?"  
"No. It was in the possession of another passenger."

Sirius stopped scanning the page in the book and his eyes flickered to Regulus. He had returned to his seat at the desk and was staring at Sirius, a peculiar expression on his face.

"You mean someone stole it?"

Regulus looked at him like he was stupid.

"Of course that's what I mean – they found it on the shoulders of your old friend, Potter."

This time it was Sirius's turn to stare.

"_What_?" he sputtered a moment later, his tone demanding an explanation from his brother. "Are you trying to say that Ja – " Regulus's eyes flashed and Sirius hastened to fix his mistake, " – _Potter_ stole my coat?"

"He was _wearing_ it," Regulus stated matter-of-factly, turning his attention away from his older brother to his nails once Sirius hadn't given him a satisfactory response.

"Well, what are the chances of him _stealing _it? He hasn't been around here since dinner that night, and you know I haven't been in contact with him. I _did_ let him borrow my overcoat the other night since yours was too small; _I_ probably forgot about it," Sirius suggested, fishing around for other excuses he could use in defence of his friend. "I wasn't exactly sober that night."

He knew that James hadn't stolen his coat; most likely, he'd left it behind in the third class general room one day, and James had probably just been wearing it around, looking for a chance to give it back to him. But he could hardly tell _Regulus_ that.

Regulus muttered something under his breath that sounded rather like a disbelieving, "_Right_," as he dug a piece of dirt out from under his thumbnail.

"…You didn't press charges, _did _you?" Sirius asked, annoyed, shooting Regulus a suspicious glare. It would just be their luck, to have James locked away with the Master at Arms over something as frivolous as a coat, and then Sirius would have to risk his position and go explain _why_ James was innocent –

"No," he replied, in a surprisingly calm manner. Sirius exhaled deeply through his nose, relieved that his brother had had enough sense for once in his life. "But Lucius Malfoy did."

Sirius dropped his book in surprise and sat up straight, staring at Regulus uncomprehendingly.

"What? _Why_ would Lucius press charges over _my_ coat? Does he suddenly own _that_ too?"

"It wasn't your coat, idiot – don't you _know_ by now?" Regulus said, looking up from his nail examination to sneer at his brother. "Lucius told _me_ personally, but I expect it should be all over the ship by now, just happened – "

His heart was racing and emotions were on a thin edge. James was in _trouble_; he didn't have time to sit and listen to Regulus gloat and be a pompous arse!

"Shut up, Regulus, and just tell me what happened between Lucius and Potter before I get angry!"

Sirius, of course, was already seething, and perhaps Regulus could see that or perhaps he saw the threatening look in Sirius's eye, for a moment later he answered his inquiry.

"The Malfoy necklace went the way of my pearl cufflinks. Somehow, they ended up in Potter's pocket."

* * *

_9:16 PM_

"I think a toast of congratulations is an order."

Lucius smirked proudly, catching Tom's eye across the table. The older man had raised his brandy glass and was indicating with a triumphant gleam in his eye that the others on the table should do the same.

Tom and Lucius had managed to commandeer a larger smoking room table tonight that they were used to. News about Lucius's escapade with a thief had spread across the ship like wildfire, hurried along by the bruise under his eye and cut lip he was sporting. Many had congregated around him during dinner and now to hear a re-telling of the tale, and he was more than happy to oblige them.

"It takes a good deal of ingenuity and intelligence to catch a thief, and I'm proud to say that my colleague, Lucius Malfoy, has both these traits and more," Tom continued with his toast, breaking his steady gaze with Lucius to glare at Regulus Black, who had not yet touched his brandy glass and was staring morosely at the other members at the table. "To Lucius."

Glasses clinked together as members of the table toasted Lucius's name. Lucius could not hold back his smirk as he took a drink from his own glass.

"It was nothing, really. Potter left clues lying about everywhere…terribly easy," he responded, attempting to be modest. "But I thank you for your congratulations and concerns."

"Easy? Looks like you got a bit roughed up in the process," the young Johnson remarked, setting down his glass and staring out right at Lucius's lip. "I heard those steerage blokes can really throw a punch…"

Lucius rubbed his sore jaw, feeling the stiffness and pain that still lingered hours after he and Potter had brawled. He had not been surprised when Potter had fought back; he had been counting on a reaction of similar nature, though he hadn't been expecting Potter to be able to hit _quite_ so hard. The pain had been worth it, however, as their fight had been the last nail in Potter's coffin.

"I think he believed that the only way to prove his innocence was to beat my mouth closed," Lucius explained, favouring them all with a small smile. His cut lip throbbed in protest. "But believe me, I'm sure he looks even worse than I do."

"I heard he'd been stealing from other passengers. Is there any grain of truth to that?" one of the older men asked over the laughter generated by Lucius's last comment. He stared pointedly at the glum Regulus.

"It's mostly true, anyway," Lucius responded, glancing at the young Black as well. "I'm sure a search of his cabin will yield more results, but the only item we found on his person was Sirius Black's overcoat." He directed his next comment to Regulus. "Where is your brother anyway? I thought he wouldn't miss a moment of tonight's excitement."

Regulus shifted uncomfortably in his seat, looking slightly more miserable, and mumbled something about Black having a sudden stomach illness.

Lucius narrowed his eyes. There had been whispers about the eldest Black for ages, whispers that he had joined Dumbledore's Order and was a sympathiser to the gentry cause. Lucius'd had his suspicions about Sirius Black and his sudden interest in Death Eaters. It looked as though he finally had enough proof to be proven correct. How utterly convenient was it for Black, procuring a stomach illness right when his 'old friend' Potter (who, from the way it sounded, also must have something to do with the Order) had been arrested? Once Severus came back, Lucius would have to have him look into the matter.

"Was he rather upset about the ordeal?" Tom asked.

Regulus shrugged carelessly.

"Depends on what you would consider upset," he replied, staring into his glass. "He raged for a bit, mostly at me, and then he was going to go talk to the Master at Arms – "

"Why?" Lucius interrupted, suspicions sparked further.

"I don't know, probably so he could go yell at Potter. Do you honestly think he tells _me _these things?"

"You're his brother," Johnson pointed out unnecessarily.

Regulus rolled his eyes and sank back into his chair without a word, glaring daggers at his half-filled brandy glass.

Wisely deciding to change the subject, the older man spoke up again. "It's probably not my place, but…is it also true that Potter was…ah…seducing your fiancée to get at the jewels, Lucius?"

Frowning tightly, Lucius nodded. Low murmurs erupted a moment later, some in surprise and others in outright indignation.

And they should be outraged. It burned him up that Lily was more attracted to some boy who probably hadn't bathed in days to him, one of the most powerful men in English society.

Lily was _his_, not some third-rate, penniless brat's. She was wearing his ring, not Potter's. He had gotten to her first.

What _was_ it that she saw in him? What did Potter have that Lucius didn't? He could give her everything that she ever dreamed; she'd be the quintessential wife, the one all other women envied, the one other men yearned to have. She'd be perfect, she'd have everything, and she'd have _him_.

_What didn't he have?_

He took a quick drink of his brandy, swallowing his bitterness with the amber liquid as Tom spoke up, trying to calm the table's inhabitants, "Potter was a tricky devil. I don't think either of us suspected he would drag innocent Miss Evans into all of this."

"From what _I_ heard, Miss Evans dragged _herself_ into it without any encouragement from your thief," a young man next to Regulus said. "Not giving her what she wants, Malfoy?"

His smart comment elicited several chuckles from the other men, although Lucius was hardly amused.

* * *

_10:00 PM_

"Bloody hell, it's cold tonight!"

Lookout Fredrick Fleet pulled himself up into the crow's nest, quickly standing and moving aside so his companion, Reginald Lee, could join him.

"Got that right, mate," Archie Jewells replied, his teeth chattering, watching as Lee pulled himself through the hatch. Jewells and George Symons had been in the nest since the afternoon, and by testament from their red cheeks and shivering forms, they were ready to go down below. "I don't envy you blokes in the slightest."

"Be on the lookout for ice," Symons instructed, sitting on the edge of the hatch, legs dangling high above the deck. "Smith's orders specially."

Fleet snorted. If the captain wanted them to keep a proper lookout for ice, why didn't he find them a pair of glasses instead of giving them obvious commands?

"Isn't that what we're here for?" Lee asked, agreeing with Fleet's thoughts exactly. He rolled his eyes as Symons disappeared down the ladder.

"Aye, but from what I've heard, we've been getting more warnings," Fleet responded, taking Symons vacated spot and glancing out at the sea.

"Well, at least you've got a calm night ahead of you…Water's as smooth as glass, strangest thing I've seen," Jewells said, descending the ladder rung by rung. "Good luck trying to spot anything without glasses."

"Jewells, you know I don't need glasses!" Fleet called, feeling humorous. He bent down to close the hatch. "I can smell ice!"

Jewells laughed and Lee, annoyed by his continuous claim, muttered an irritated, "_Bullocks_," under his breath.

* * *

_10:54 PM_

"How _could_ you?"

Petunia's accusing tone cut through her like a knife, but Lily said nothing, staring out the porthole and to the ocean. She didn't need _this_, on top of everything else –

"Don't you know what you could've done – to your _engagement_? To our _reputation_?" Petunia continued in low tone. Lily didn't know what was worse; this quiet blame or the shrill threats. "Do you know what you've already compromised?"

"I…I made a mistake," Lily responded, her voice cracking.

She didn't know what mistake she was referring to. Perhaps it was falling for James in the first place, maybe it was agreeing to Lucius's proposal, or maybe…maybe…

"A mistake? Well, damn right you made a mistake! You're lucky Lucius still wants you after all this trouble…My own sister!"

Petunia continued on this vein, but Lily tuned her out, fed up with her sister. Petunia – safe, predictable Petunia – would never understand what it was like to throw your heart and soul to someone, and have it smashed into pieces the very next moment. She would never understand about anything Lily was going through; the doubts that were gnawing away at her resolve, the sick, twisted feeling in her stomach, the heaviness in her heart that made her think she was making an even bigger mistake at this very moment…

What if James _hadn't_ stolen the necklace? What if Lucius had had something to do with it? What if he was innocent and she had just condemned him to an unfair fate at the hands of her fiancé? What if she was wrong?

But the necklace had been in his _pocket_. He had been in her wardrobe that morning, and the necklace had gone missing after he left. He had been a thief, he could pick locks, he knew where her stateroom was –

She was a fool to still consider James innocent. The evidence was damning, there was proof to his crime. James _had_ to have stolen the necklace –

_But what if he hadn't?_

She'd seen the absolute disbelief in his eyes when he had been taken from the sitting room, she'd heard the hurt in his tone…She was creating doubt in a situation when there shouldn't be because she didn't want to believe that he would hurt her. She was making excuses for this thief because she cared for him and some part of her desperately claimed he cared for her too. She didn't want to believe any of it.

She brushed a piece of hair out of her eyes, gently massaging her pounding head. She was exhausted and her appearance told the tale. Her hair was hanging loose from its once neat chignon and her dress was heavily wrinkled. Her face was pale and drawn, eyes red and heavy, and a darker, more violent bruise joining the other on her cheek. She was sure there were others on her body, one from her fall and the rest from Lucius.

He had forbidden her from coming to dinner with him tonight. Partially, he said, because she looked like utter shit, and because she was going to be the talk of the ship and he didn't want her embarrassing him further. He was ashamed of her, just as Petunia was, just as she was of herself.

Lily buried her face in her hand, pushing back tears.

God, she was an utter fool.

* * *

_11:05 PM_

The cabin door slammed shut loudly and Sirius sat upright on the bed, his hopeful look quickly dashed at the sight of Remus's angry expression.

"Did you get to see – ?" he began.

"No," Remus replied, cutting him off. He leaned against the door, glaring at his shoes. "I wasn't allowed in the crew area – I had to wait for at least a half an hour by the gate for a steward to go get someone who knew what was going on, and when someone finally came, it wasn't even the Master at Arms. He sent one of his lackeys to deal with me, to tell me that I can't talk, let alone _see_, James until the ship docks." He ran a hand through his hair and then spat, "On _Lucius Malfoy's_ orders."

"Figured he'd try that," Sirius muttered, shaking his head. "Good thing you convinced me not to go."

Remus didn't respond, furiously chewing on his tongue.

He hadn't even known about this until Sirius had appeared in his cabin after dinner and told him. No representatives from the Master at Arms had knocked on _his_ door to tell him his cabin mate was in jail for stealing from Lucius Malfoy. He would've never known if Sirius hadn't told him since he and James were still fighting.

Remus knew something like this would happen.

He _knew_, and James had ignored his advice. He had gotten himself tangled up with Lily and it had earned him a spot in a jail cell. Remus had been right, and James had been a fool.

If he had been allowed to see James, Remus hadn't known what he would say or do to him, for that matter. He was still livid from their argument last night and it appeared that James had felt the same way, as they hadn't spoken a word to each other at lunch. Remus, at least, was justified for his anger.

How _dare_ James accuse _him_ of being Malfoy's stool pigeon? If the pig-headed prat had opened his ears, he would've realised that Remus had been warning him about crossing Malfoy! If he had listened, James probably wouldn't be locked up in the Master at Arms' office right now!

"What're we going to do?" he asked, not really expecting an answer.

He looked up, locks of hair falling into his eyes. Sirius was still sitting on his bed, fiddling with hem of his coat, probably the same one James had been wearing earlier.

"I don't know," Sirius said at last, locking eyes with Remus. "I won't know until I wire Dumbledore tomorrow and get a response. Until then, we're sunk."

* * *

_11:36 PM_

"Oi, mate…Looky here."

Fleet, eager for a distraction from the water ahead, glanced at Lee. He was grinning, his cheeks flushed red with the cold, and was pointing down to the deck. Fleet shuffled closer, squeezing in on Lee's side, and looked over the side of the crow's nest.

Below, a couple was kissing fiercely, putting on a good show for anyone who happened to be out on deck at the moment, including the lookouts. Fleet probably would've never noticed them if Lee didn't distracted so easily.

"Oh, stop looking at that," Fleet replied, though a grin was quickly spreading across his face. "Give them some privacy, eh?"

"They're a bit warmer than we are, ain't they?" Lee chuckled, smirking over his shoulder at Fleet.

"Sure, but if that's what it takes to get warm, I'd rather not if it's all the same to you, all right?" Fleet returned, sharing in Lee's mirth and shoving his companion in the shoulder.

Chuckling, the two men turned around and faced the sea. Fleet blew into his gloved hands, trying to keep them a bit warmer, and stared at the endless darkness before him. He squinted, wishing (not for the first time) that there were a pair of glasses up in the nest.

The water was calmer than he had ever seen it, almost – as Jewells had claimed – like glass. There was no moon either and the stars and the lights from the giant ship only illuminated the seawater. Fleet had been a lookout for years and had never –

Fleet's eyes widened suddenly and sucked in a terrified breath. To his left, Lee stiffened and cursed, both of them panicking at the sight looming out of the darkness ahead.

Automatically, Fleet reached for the bell hanging behind them.

* * *

_11:39 PM_

The warning bell sounded three times from the lookout's nest, the sound echoing in the quiet of the night.

First Officer Murdoch was standing just outside the bridge when the sound reached his ears. He turned around, perplexed, and stared out to the ocean ahead to see what the trouble was. He squinted, the light from the deck obstructing his vision slightly.

Distantly, he heard the telephone ring in the bridge.

* * *

Sixth Officer Moody had been talking to another officer when he heard the telephone ring. Surprised, he rounded the corner into the bridge, clutching a cup of tea in his hand. He flipped the switch on the telephone and leaned in, asking, "What do you see?"

* * *

Murdoch saw it, the ominous shape blocking the stars from view. His face paled and he turned, running to the bridge.

* * *

_11: 40 PM_

"Iceberg right ahead!"

* * *

Yes, I do enjoy being incredibly evil. It's one of my many hobbies.

Please review and visit my Livejournal (username: greenconverses) for more details about the fic and rants about life in general. Don't be afraid to friend me, I like friends!


	18. Chapter Eighteen

**Author's notes:** Thank you, thank you, _thank you_ to my thirty reviewers from last chapter! That's the most reviews I've received for a chapter of NoE! I'm glad you all liked the last chapter so much and I hope you like this one as well. It's relatively short compared to some chapters (not even half the word length of some!) but that's because it's overly a relatively short period of time – twenty minutes. I'm sorry about that, but I'm sure you'll all like the fast update, which is in it's unbetaed form again.

The majority of dialogue between the officers of _Titanic_ is from the movie. I've been trying to cut back on stealing from the movie (which has gotten better, wouldn't you agree?), but these scenes were some that I really couldn't change because that's pretty much how they happened.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter or any references to James Cameron's _Titanic_.

**Chapter Eighteen**

_11:40 PM_

"Iceberg right ahead!" Fleet's panic-filled voice roared.

"Thank you," Officer Moody replied levelly, his hands shaking. He slammed the phone upwards and raced to the door.

"Iceberg right ahead, sir!" he called urgently, pulling the door open just in time for Murdoch to rush in. He seemed to already know what was going on – Moody could've kicked himself. Of course, Murdoch had been out on deck, he would've seen the berg –

"Hard-a-starboard!" he roared, hanging off the doorframe over Moody's shoulder and gesturing furiously at Quartermaster Hitchens.

Hitchens stood, hands frozen at the wheel for a moment (_they couldn't waste a moment!_), but quickly flew into action once Moody screamed the command again. His hands wrenched the wheel to the left, urged on by Moody's cries of, "Turn, _turn_, _TURN_!"

Murdoch rushed past him again, sending his teacup crashing to the floor, and into the bridge. He heard the distant ring of the telegraph and realised there was nothing he could do but _wait_ –

* * *

The telegraph dinged once in the nosy din of the engine room. Chief Engineer Fleming glanced at it briefly, slowing the stirring of his lukewarm soup, and then turned back to talk to his aide for a moment. 

His soup went clattering to the floor seconds later as he glanced at the telegraph again and noticed the severe change.

"Full speed astern!"

* * *

The wheel jarred to a stop in Hitchen's hands. 

"Helm's hard over, sir!" he called, voice trembling, to Moody.

* * *

The ship sped on, the iceberg growing closer with the passage of every vital second. Murdoch could only stare in wonder (_how could those idiots not have seen this before!_) and felt the impending horror in his chest as he realised his ship _was not turning_ –

* * *

The engine room was a flurry of activity, men racing down ladders and running along steep catwalks, trying to quickly conform to the new order from the bridge. 

"Hold it, _hold it_ – "

Fleming watched the pressure gauge slowly lower down to the proper area, a bead of perspiration trickling down his forehead. Finally (_finally!_), the metre reached the proper level –

"Now!" he ordered. "Reverse the engine!"

A crewmember wrenched a lever downwards and _Titanic_ gave a sudden jolt.

* * *

"You're sure it's hard over?" Murdoch called, not taking his eyes off the nightmare in front of him. His face was pale, limbs trembling. 

"Yes, sir! Hard over, sir!"

* * *

Fleming pushed a young man out of the way, reaching the crank that would bring the ship back up to speed _faster_. They didn't have time to waste –

* * *

"Why ain't they _turning_?" Fleet demanded, furious and frightened at the same time. The iceberg was nearly level with the ship.

* * *

"Come on, _come on_," Murdoch muttered, seeing the prow headed straight toward the mountain in front of them. On the very edge, he could see an anxious deckhand, leaning on the rail to get a better look as the iceberg cast a long shadow on the deck. "Turn, you bitch, _turn_ – " 

As if heading his request, the forecastle began to (_at last!_) lean left, intending to skirt the iceberg all together –

"Yes," Murdoch whispered. "Yes!"

* * *

The deck hand on the prow, however, saw no cause for celebration. 

_Titanic_ was not going to round the berg in time.

"It's gonna hit!" he cried to no one in particular, ice metres away from his position as he ran from the prow.

* * *

Murdoch's face went as white as the ice.

* * *

_  
Titanic _continued to steam ahead, oblivious of the peril lurking inches from her vulnerable belly.

* * *

The berg struck.

* * *

Remus's book fell to the floor. 

"_Jesus_," he sighed, getting off his bed to pick it up, barely noticing the slight tremors under his feet.

* * *

Ice ripped into the steel like a dagger, popping rivets, buckling plates, and exposing her innards to the vicious sea.

* * *

The wheel was shaking in Hitchens's hands.

* * *

Studying blueprints and lists of parts, Thomas Andrews did not detect anything awry until his brandy glass began wobbling on the table. 

He stared in ill-disguised confusion, watching the glass rock back and forth to the ominous twinkling of the beaded light above his head.

* * *

Sirius paused in the tight, third class corridor, startled by the faint, screeching sound interrupting the quiet of the night.

* * *

Murdoch felt the wood railing trembling under his fingertips as he watched the iceberg scrape along the side of the ship. 

They had hit the berg, _they had hit_ –

"Hard a port!" he cried, overcoming his shock momentarily, hoping to spare _Titanic_'s stern serious damages.

* * *

"_You idiot_!" Riddle howled, leaping out of his seat and tossing a napkin into a server's frightened face. "You spilled brandy all over my best suit! Do you know how much this _cost_?" 

"Suh – Sorry, sir…There was a – a jolt and the buh – bottle slipped – "

* * *

"Look out!" 

Jack Dawson pulled Rose aside as a shower of ice came out of nowhere, raining down on the deck in a clatter.

Transfixed, he held her close as they watched the iceberg move past them, into the night.

* * *

Pandemonium had broken out in boiler room six. 

Torrents of water suddenly came gushing in through the walls, roaring down the helpless stokers. Hissing like a chorus of snakes, steam rose in a haze as cold spray hit the fires and clouded the engine room. Men panicked, screaming and crying over the thunderous noise of the rushing sea, abandoning their positions and scrambling towards the exits in knee-deep water.

* * *

"Stop that incessant rattling, Potter!" Snape demanded, cracking open an irritated eye.

"I'm not doing anything!" James replied, exasperated.

"Then what's making that – ?"

Snape trailed off, following James's eyes to the cabinet across the room where rows upon rows of keys were clanking on their hooks.

* * *

Just as suddenly as the trembling and the screeching began, it stopped. 

Murdoch hesitated for an instant and then ran back into the wheelhouse, skidding to a stop in front of an electric panel of the ship. He turned a switch, activating the watertight doors.

There was no sense in taking chances.

* * *

"They're closin' the doors!" Frederick Barrett roared, knee deep in water and chilled to the bone, violently gesturing his fellows over toward the closing watertight doors. 

A red light was flashing and the door was slowly being lowered like the blade of a guillotine, the telltale clinking barely heard over the noise of the flooding boiler room.

Steam billowed as men fought their way to the door, lurching through the water. Barrett physically tossing some men out himself, screaming, "_Get under the door_! Let's go lads, _MOVE IT _– !"

Not all of them would make it; Barrett barely had time to save himself.

* * *

The iceberg faded into the distance as _Titanic_ steamed ahead. A glaring red streak of paint left the  
only proof of its encounter with the grandest ship of all time.

* * *

"That was a close shave, wasn't it?" 

Lee grabbed Fleet by the collar and growled in his face, "Next time, smell the bloody ice sooner, you bleedin' bastard!"

* * *

Pale and shaking, Murdoch turned away from the illuminated panel. 

"Note the time," he said to no one in particular, still reeling from the shock. "Enter it in the log."

From behind him, Moody muttered an affirmative, "Right," and moved off. Not a minute later, a door snapped open, light flooding the wheelhouse.

Murdoch didn't need to turn around to see who it was.

"What was that, Mr. Murdoch?" Captain E.J. Smith asked, concern gracing his features. He was without his coat and hat, tie loose around his neck, ready to settle down for the night.

"An iceberg, sir," Murdoch responded, surprising even himself with his calm. Smith's eyes widened. "I tried to port-round her, but she hit and – "

"Close the watertight doors," the captain ordered, over-riding him. He shot a look at Hitchens and walked out onto the deck. Murdoch followed behind him.

"Doors are closed, sir."

Smith leaned over the well deck, trying to spot the iceberg. Murdoch hung back, figuring the ice would've been long gone by now – they were still moving, after all. When he did not see anything, the captain walked over to Murdoch, as if to say something, and then stopped, staring at the poop deck.

Murdoch followed his gaze, noticing the ice gleaming innocently on the wood below.

* * *

_  
11:43 PM _

Remus cracked his door open and leaned out into the corridor. He had been ready to turn in at last, but had been distracted once he had heard voices outside his door.

Passengers in all states of dress were mulling about in the corridor, hanging out their cabin doors and talking to those passing. Several looked angry; others were rubbing their eyes, but the majority simply seemed confused.

"Do you know what's going on?" Remus asked to his neighbour across the corridor.

His neighbour shrugged, replying, "_No hablo ingles, Señor_," before stepping back into his cabin and shutting the door.

"Christ," Remus grumbled, ducking into his cabin and grabbing his coat off his bed. He spared a glanced at James's empty spot for a moment and then stepped out into the corridor, closing his door behind him.

More people had already crowded into the cramped quarters of the hall, chattering in a myriad of languages, but it seemed they were all asking the same question: What was going on?

It appeared that no one knew that answer either, as everyone Remus stopped to talk to said the same thing:

"I don't know."

Everything seemed incredibly loud, from Remus's footfalls on the wooden floor to the crying of a baby behind a closed door. Even the slightest whisper seemed like a shout. His ears felt strangely hollow, like he had just removed plugs, like he wasn't hearing something he _should_ be –

"Excuse me," he said, stopping by a group of burly looking Englishmen, "but do you – "

"No, lad, we don' have a fuckin' clue what's goin' on," the tallest answered quickly, glaring at Remus in annoyance. He turned to his compains. "Right time fer a bloody party, this is. Woke me up – "

"Sorry," Remus interrupted, feeling a sudden sense of urgency, "but I was just wondering whether any of you noticed that the engines had stopped."

* * *

_  
11:46 PM_

Petunia strode out into the corridor, glancing up and down the way for a steward. Behind her, hovering in the doorway was Lily. Clothed in only her nightdress, hair spiralling down her back, Lily's face displayed the anxiety knotting her stomach.

"Excuse me," Petunia called, stopping a portly, moustached steward. "Why have the engines stopped? I felt a shudder just a moment ago."

"We've likely thrown a propeller blade, ma'am. That's the shudder you felt." The steward replied calmly. "I wouldn't worry – routine failure. Happened once while I was stationed on the _Mauritania_. Can I bring you anything to calm your nerves?"

A tall man in a rumbled black suit pushed between Petunia and the steward before she had a chance to reply. The man did not apologise for his rude interruption, shifting the scrolls of paper under his arms as he hurried down the corridor.

Lily stepped out beside her sister, staring after him.

"Ah…No thank you," Petunia replied, following Lily's gaze, her tone wavering as the man disappeared around the corner.

As soon as the steward had left, Petunia turned and grasped Lily's arm tightly.

"That was Thomas Andrews! The architect!" she whispered urgently, her voice shrill. "Surely the captain doesn't call on the architect for a thrown propeller blade!"

Lily didn't respond, staring blankly down the length of the corridor. The steward had said nothing was wrong, but Andrews had been carrying blueprints with him. _Blueprints_.

"Lily!" Petunia hissed, shaking her arm.

She turned to her sister, blinking away her own doubts, and responded in as convincing of a voice she could muster, "I'm sure it's nothing serious. Everything's fine, Petunia…_Titanic_'s a new ship; I'm sure once Mr. Andrews gets a good look at the problem, we'll be on our way again."

Petunia's grip on her arm loosened just a bit and she nodded, relieved.

"Of course, you're right. _Titanic_'s nigh unsinkable, isn't she?" She said, letting out a shaky laugh. "I feel so silly, getting worked up over a little tremble. Don't you?"

Lily nodded, not quite hearing her sister's question.

"Let's…Let's wait in the stateroom for Lucius, shall we?" Petunia suggested, tugging on Lily's arm.

As Lily allowed her sister to lead her back inside, she wondered why the floor suddenly felt uneven under her feet. Perhaps it was her imagination, worked into overdrive already, but perhaps it was something worse, something quite unimaginable…

Fleetingly, Lily wished that James was here.

* * *

_  
11:53 PM_

Remus slithered through another group of people, looking around for a bright white shirt. Why was it that when you _needed_ a bloody steward they were never around?

He came to an intersection and glanced both ways, noticing that there were hardly any people out in these corridors. It seemed that those who had noticed the shudder were in the minority on his deck, and even they were beginning to pack up and go back to bed after finding no answers to their questions.

How hadn't those in their cabins noticed the sudden death of the engines or the commotion the other passengers were making? Why didn't those who _had_ noticed seemed worried? Why didn't anyone have a bloody clue what was going on? _Why_ was he the only one concerning himself about a little shudder?

"Moony!"

Remus turned, just as Sirius squeezed out of the crowd behind him, and he exhaled, relieved at the sight of a familiar face.

"Padfoot!" he cried, genuinely surprised, clapping his friend on the back. "What are you doing down here? I thought you were going back up."

"Gates lock at eleven," Sirius explained briefly, brushing dishevelled hair out of his eyes. "I was a deck or two below, trying to find a steward to unlock it for me, but then there was this shudder and this horrible screeching sound…" He paused, noting the confusion on Remus's face. "You didn't you hear…? It happened just a – "

" – moment ago?" Remus supplied, shaking his head, perplexed. "No, I didn't notice the noise. A book fell off my trunk, but other than that…The engines have stopped, you noticed that, right?"

Sirius nodded, unusually grim.

"You don't think…we _hit _something, do you?" he asked after a pregnant pause, looking into Sirius's pale eyes. Their playful light was gone, replaced by utter gravity and an emotion Remus did not want to identify. Sirius knew something, something he did not want to share, something horrible…

"Padfoot, _what's going on?_"

"Well," Sirius said slowly. Remus noticed suddenly that he was shaking, "while I was below decks, a few people came running past me…and – and their feet were _wet_, Moony!"

* * *

_  
Midnight_

A crowd of blue uniformed officers filed into Captain Smith's office, followed by the black suit of Thomas Andrews and the brown robe of J. Bruce Ismay, White Star Line's ship director. Among the worried tones and drawn faces, Ismay seemed out of place with his scowl and annoyed temperament.

Andrews threw his scrolls onto a nearby table, unrolling the first blueprint quickly, and weighing it down with a measuring instrument.

"Most unfortunate, Captain," Ismay was saying, running a hand through his dark hair. "I'd like to – "

"Water fourteen feet above the keel in ten minutes," Andrews began, quickly overriding Ismay. Smith and another officer crowded around him as he pointed to the paper _Titanic_ on the table with shaking hands. "In the forepeak, in all three holds, and…in boiler room six."

"Right," the other officer confirmed, pale faced.

"When can we get on the way, dammit?" Ismay roared, furious at being ignored.

"That's five compartments!" Andrews returned, alarm clutching to his every syllable. The office quieted, the silence seeming unnatural without the throb from the engines, and all eyes focused on Andrews. "She can stay afloat with the first four compartments breeched, but not five. _Not five_." He looked up briefly, into Captain Smith's eyes, trying to make him understand the gravity of the situation. "She'll go down by the head. The water will spill over the bulkheads at E deck…from one to the next, back to back. There's no stopping it."

"The pumps – " Smith began, moving toward the blueprints.

"The pumps will buy time, but minutes only," Andrews answered. His voice wavered and broke as he continued on in the silence of the office. "From this moment on, no matter what we do, _Titanic_ will founder."

Ismay stared uncomprehendingly at Andrews.

"But…But this ship _can't_ sink!"

"She's made of iron, sir! I assure you, she can, and she will." Andrews looked pained as he gazed down at the blueprints of his dream. "…It's a mathematical certainty."

Smith swallowed the bitter shock, face contorted as though a heavy weight had just been swung in his face.

"How…How long?" he asked.

Andrews looked at him again, the pain and horror pooling in his eyes.

"An hour," came the soft reply. "Maybe two at the most."

The ship of dreams, the unsinkable majesty, his _ship_ could not be sinking. Not now, not on his last voyage. Smith could not believe this. This wasn't supposed to happen…

"And how many aboard Mr. Murdoch?" he asked robotically.

Murdoch gulped, face the palest of all gathered, and whispered, "Two thousand, two hundred souls, sir."

Two thousand two hundred people's lives were entrusted to his hands. His ship didn't carry enough lifeboats for half of them. For a moment, he couldn't breathe.

Smith could feel the weight of a thousand people's lives dropping on his shoulders as he turned, in silence, to face Ismay.

He remembered the talk he and Ismay'd had only days ago, about increasing speed and shattering records. He'd wanted to make the morning papers, wanted headlines for the White Star Line's crown jewel.

"Well," he said softly, bitterness overcoming his shock momentarily as he gazed upon his employer. He wondered if Ismay could feel the weight of those innocent lives too. "I believe you may get your headlines, Mr. Ismay."

* * *

Thanks for reading and please review! It will give me something to do on this snow day besides shovelling! Also, remember to visit my LiveJournal (greenconverses) for the low-down on new chapters. 


	19. Chapter Nineteen

**Author's note:** I _suck_ at updating.

Don't kill me.

_Pleeeeeaaaaaseeeeee_.

**Important note:** Please keep in mind that the scenes in this chapter and future chapters will overlap each other in time. The times above each scene are when they start and are mostly just a reference point for me while I'm writing.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter or any references to James Cameron's _Titanic_.

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen **

_April 15th, 1912_

_12:05 AM_

R.M.S Titanic 

"CQD?" First Wireless Operator John Phillips asked, staring at the yellow piece of paper in shock. He looked at Smith, earnestly hoping the captain had decided to play a late night prank. "Sir?"

"Yes, CQD. Our coordinates are on the paper." Smith replied, removing his hat and glancing away. Phillips took this opportunity to share a concerned look with the Second Wireless Operator Harold Bride, who was currently trying to pick his jaw up off the floor. "Tell whoever responds that we're going down by the head and need immediate assistance."

The three men stared at each other, all at a loss for words. The captain struggled with himself momentarily and then put his cap back on his head, nodding at the two wireless operators. He left the room, leaving a stunned silence behind.

Bride turned to Phillips and they shared a long look.

Phillips had felt a jolt ages ago, but had paid no mind to it, passing it off with annoyance. He had continued to work the Cape Race records until Bride had come to release him. It was then he had learned what was going on, but even then, he hadn't thought it serious – maybe a little engine trouble, but not anything _fatal_.

"Blimey," Phillips muttered, turning in his chair and pulling the wireless headphones over his ears.

* * *

_12:08 AM_

"You've always had such pretty hair, Lily…I was so jealous of you, still am, actually."

"You sure didn't show it, teasing me at every opportunity," Lily said with a small smile, wincing as her bruised cheek protested in pain. She was on the floor of their sitting room, playing with the hem of her dress as Petunia finished twisted the last inches of her hair into a tight braid.

They'd been waiting for Lucius to return ever since they'd talked with the steward, but he hadn't yet come back from the smoking room. Petunia had been fidgeting in a rather annoying way, so Lily had offered to let her braid her hair – something they hadn't done since they were young. This had put them in a rather reminiscing mood and they had actually been enjoying each other company.

Lily was glad that she and Petunia had put aside their differences, even only for a little bit. She had needed something to take her mind off the shipboard trouble, off of James, off of Lucius –

"Ouch!"

Petunia had been pressing up against raw bruises since they had started this exercise and she hadn't been very considerate about them at first, continuing to braid while Lily's eyes watered and her nerves recovered from their shock. As the bruises became visible and the brushes more frequent, she started pausing, waiting for Lily's nod before continuing.

This time was different.

"Does…does this happen often, Lily?"

Lily started at the question. She turned, staring at her sister in shock. Petunia never acknowledged her bruises, never asked, never let on that she knew what Lucius was doing…Why had she decided to start caring now?

"It's happened before," she said truthfully, looking at her hands. "But…but it's never been _this_ bad."

"That's probably because you've never upset him this badly before," Petunia replied coldly, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Now turn around so I can finish."

Lily frowned, but did as she was told. She shouldn't have gotten her hopes up so – the only thing Petunia cared about was her own happiness and their family name. She should've known that Petunia wouldn't try to comfort her or protect her…

They sat in a very charged silence as Petunia continued braiding. Lily repressed any whimper or gasp of pain that was caused by her sister's wandering fingers.

"Did he…" Petunia began slowly. "That _boy_, I mean…did he…Are you sure none of these bruises are from him?"

Lily froze, horrified by the question. Her sister was trying to place the blame for her bruises on _James_? James, who had been nothing but gentle and kind, who would – _could_ never sink to that level – !

"No!" she replied forcefully, ripping her hair out of Petunia's grasp and turning to face her sister. "How _dare_ you suggest such a thing! James would never – "

Was Petunia trapped so far in her denial about Lucius's character that she twisted every sign Lily gave her into an attack against James?

"Well, considering he assaulted Lucius – " Petunia reasoned, flushing with anger.

"Lucius attacked him first!"

" – I wouldn't put it past him to – "

"Do the same to me?" Lily demanded furiously. "He _couldn't_ do that, not to me…He's not that sort of person!"

Just the thought of James even committing such an act made her sick. He would _never _do something like that to her, to any woman for that matter.

"He's a thief, Lily, of course he – "

"Yes, a thief, but not a _monster_!"

Her own words surprised her.

James was a thief, but he was also a good man. He wasn't a calculating, hurtful man; he wasn't a cruel brute. He hadn't been trying to use her to get Lucius's jewels or to get information on Death Eaters – his sticky fingers had just been tried to the breaking point!

That meant, she realised with a swell of her heart, that he _did_ love her, that he hadn't been lying, that she didn't have to hurt any more –

The stateroom door slammed shut suddenly and broke the contemplative silence between the sisters. Petunia's eyes flickered to a point somewhere above Lily's shoulder, but she didn't have to turn around to know who it was.

"Why are you two still awake?" Lucius demanded, his heavy footsteps never having sounded this ominous when the engines were running.

With newfound energy, Lily stood, her muscles aching, and sent a scathing look at her fiancé. Lucius was the monster here, not James, no matter what petty crimes he had committed.

"I should ask you the same question, in the smoking room until midnight," she said, tired of playing games with him. He continued toward her at the same pace though the expression on his face had darkened quite a bit.

"We – We were waiting for you to return, Lucius," Petunia said quickly, also standing. She shot Lily a dirty look. "We were concerned; there's something wrong with the ship and – "

"I've looked into it," Lucius interrupted, overriding Petunia evenly. "I believe it's of no concern and that you should be off to your own stateroom. We've all had a very trying day and I think it would be best if we get some rest."

He shot a specific look at Lily and she stood straighter under his gaze.

"Go ahead then," she said. "But I'm feeling quite awake and I've just decided to pay a visit to the Master at Arms – "

She had been intending to brush coolly past Lucius, but he grabbed her arm and wrenched her in front of him again. She heard Petunia gasp.

"What did you say?"

"You heard me," she said, staring into his cold eyes. "I'm leaving…you should recognise the gesture."

Lucius's upper lip twitched in a familiar way and Lily truly believed he would've hit her (in front of Petunia, no less!) if there hadn't been a knock at the door the very next moment.

Lucius glared daggers at her and then turned to the door, shoulders quivering in suppressed anger. He hadn't made it three steps before it opened of it's own accord and one of their corridor stewards peeked in, a curious expression on his face.

"What are you doing?" Lucius asked, outraged. "I didn't give you permission to enter!"

"Terribly sorry of the inconvenience, Mr. Malfoy," the steward said, appearing very insincere about the interruption as he opened the door wider and moved into the room. "But its captain's orders – I've been told to tell all passengers to put on their lifebelts and head up to the Boat Deck."

"Lifebelts?" Petunia asked. Lily's anger died at the reminder of _Titanic's_ trouble. "Surely there's no need for _lifebelts_ if it's as simple of a problem as a thrown propeller blade?"

"It's just a precaution, ma'am, but all the same, we'd like everyone up on deck as quick as possible."

The steward sidestepped Lucius and strode into one of the adjacent doors, stepping into the wardrobe. Lucius spluttered indignantly at this trespass of privacy, but the steward came out a second later holding two lifebelts. He placed them on the table.

"I would also suggest that you all dress warmly. It's quite cold tonight." He instructed, looking specifically at Petunia and Lily, who were dressed in nothing more than their nightclothes. "Mrs. Dursley, if you'd like me to escort you back to your stateroom and show you to your lifebelt."

"Yes…Yes, of course," Petunia said shakily, taking his offered arms. She looked over her shoulder at Lily as the door closed behind her with a sharp snap.

Lucius stared after them for a long time and then walked over to the table holding the lifebelts.

"This is _ridiculous_," he muttered, glaring contemptuously at the lifebelts and knocking one to the floor.

Lily was sure he was referring to more than a late-night lifeboat drill.

* * *

_12:13 AM_

They were going door-to-door, banging on the wood and then bursting in unannounced. They barked orders to sleepy passengers and then left as quickly as they came, creating mass confusion. Half the passengers they woke spoke not a word of English – the only clue they were given were the lifebelts strewn on the floor.

The situation in the corridors was just as bad – startled passengers asked questions, but their only response was a frantic, "Put yer lifebelts on, dammit!"

Sirius watched from Remus's doorway as this process made its way down the corridor. He was fuming.

"This is ridiculous," he growled as a Serbian man was shouted at and a lifebelt was thrown in his face. "Fucking _ridiculous_…If this was the first class – "

"Whether you like it or not, mate, it _isn't_," Remus replied, coming up behind him and pressing a lifebelt into his arms. Ever the practical one, he already had his on and was tying it together. "It'd be in our best interest to head to the main gates before a mob forms. Maybe we can convince someone to let us through."

"You better not be counting on me to do the convincing," Sirius said, throwing the lifebelt over his head as Remus closed the door. "I haven't a pence on me."

"I suppose that's when your status as a first class arse comes in handy then, doesn't it?"

Remus hoisted a small bag over his shoulder, waiting for Sirius to finish tying his lifebelt. A steward shoved past them, yelling angrily at the Spanish bloke across the corridor, before moving on, his keys jingling on his belt.

Sirius paused, eyeing the keys. Remus followed his eyes, then instantly shot him a warning glare. Sirius received the message, but he wouldn't have needed it anyway.

Forgetting about his lifebelt, Sirius turned and burst in the cabin's door, noticing that Remus hadn't bothered to lock it. He flipped on the light and hurried over to James's discarded trunk, throwing the lid open and bending down beside it.

"What are you doing?" Remus asked from the doorway, his shadow arching across the floor.

Sirius didn't answer, throwing clothes and textbooks and photographs onto the floor as he searched through the contents, until he reached the bottom. He tapped once on the old wood of the trunk bottom, a hollowed reply reaching his ears. Digging his fingernails under a crease, he wrenched the wood plank up and peered into the trunk's secret compartment, Remus looking on over his shoulder.

There was a moment of tense silence and then –

"Shit!"

He threw the wood plank away with as much force as he could muster, incensed.

James's lock picking tools were gone!

"This doesn't make him guilty," Sirius said, answering the unsaid statement between them.

"I know," Remus said, "but it doesn't make our fight to get up to the upper decks any easier either."

* * *

_12:20 AM_

"How am I supposed to sleep like this?"

Severus barely contained his urge to stop polishing his pistol and shoot Potter in the head. He had been complaining non-stop since _Titanic_ had rattled on her foundations earlier, wanting to know what was going on, why the engines had stopped, why everyone was abandoning their posts, and annoying the hell out of Severus.

Why didn't he understand that no one was going to answer a criminal's question?

Since _he_ wasn't chained to a pipe, Severus had gone out into the corridor and demanded an answer from a passing steward. Briefly, he was informed that the ship had hit an iceberg and the lower decks were flooding, but the steward, clutching a life preserver and his suitcase, reassured him there was no danger.

Severus returned to the Master at Arms room, figuring upon the Master's return he would depart and find Lucius, and told Potter not a thing of what he'd heard.

Currently, Potter was whinging about having to stand on a chair. Another criminal had been caught, just after the collision, and was soon to join Potter's charming company. The Master, still above decks, had sent some aides ahead of him to ready a spot. Potter was moved, with a suggestion or two from Severus, to the corner of the room, between the wall and one of the desks. His hands were chained around the pipe over his head and he was forced to stand on a chair so he wouldn't hang.

"I'm sure you've slept in worse conditions," Severus responded, examining his pistol. "Besides, sleeping is the last thing you should be worrying about."

"What exactly do you mean by that?" Potter asked, a hard edge to his voice.

Severus ignored him for a moment, opening the cartridge case and checking the bullets. Satisfied, he shut the case and rose from his chair. He pocketed the pistol and looked at the other man.

"_Titanic_ is sinking, Potter, and you're at the bottom of the ship chained to a pipe, most likely to be forgotten and left to your watery fate," he said, enjoying the look of absolute shock cross Potter's face. He smirked and began walking toward the door. "And that is what I mean, _exactly_."

He paused at the doorway and turned for one last comment,

"Enjoy your swim, James."

* * *

Sinking! 

James stared at the doorway long after Snape had left him, attempting to decide if what he said was a terrible lie or the actual truth of the matter…

Most likely, it was the truth. Snape was a greasy bastard, but he wasn't a liar – at least, not when it came to something serious like death and misery. His sinking story would certainly explain why the crew had been abandoning their posts one-by-one, passing the open doorway with suitcases and carpetbags in hand, whispering to each other in conspiratorial voices. It would explain why the engines had gone quiet and the ship was silent, except for the occasional soft groan of metal from below…

It was certainly possible that Snape was telling the truth.

James just didn't want to believe he was right.

The sound of voices drew James's attention to the door again. It was then he remembered that another criminal was coming to join him. Perhaps Snape _was_ lying. Surely the Master at Arms wouldn't bring another man below decks if the ship was sinking…

When the Master and his entourage entered, somehow James was not surprised by the appearance of his roommate. They had started out this voyage playing a few rounds of poker together, so it would only be natural for them to end by being chained together in a cabin of a sinking ship. It was almost like fate.

"Dawson, lovely to see you again," he greeted pleasantly, nodding at the familiar American.

Jack Dawson dropped the morose expression on his face for one of mild incredulity.

"Potter?" he asked as he was led over to the L-shaped pipe. "What are you doing here?"

"Same reason as you, I expect," James responded, shifting his arms over his head. "Caught stealing from the rich and seducing fair maidens, you know how it is – "

"Shut it, you," the Master directed, snapping Jack's handcuffs shut and glaring at James. He turned to the tall dour man who had followed them into the office and said, "There must be a ring of them on board…Your man's the second one we've caught today. Nearly the very same circumstances too, very suspicious – "

"Sir!" a hassled crewmember threw himself around the doorframe, interrupting the conversation. "You're needed at the second class purser's office, they said there's a mob – "

"I'll watch them," the grim man said, answering the Master's unasked question. He pulled open the right side of his coat, showing off the gleaming pistol in his vest.

This was just fabulous – Snape, who could be formidable on a good day, had left only to be replaced with a man who looked quite a bit more grim and experienced.

The Master at Arms voiced his consented and then glared warningly at the two criminals. He turned and left the room, heading to the upper decks. Grim man pulled his pistol from his vest and turned to face them as he sat down in Snape's vacated chair. He made himself comfortable and placed his pistol on his lap in clear sight, smiling humourlessly at them.

Jack looked over his shoulder and shared a long look with James.

"This doesn't look good," James muttered, glancing up at the ceiling.

* * *

_12:27 AM_

The Grand Staircase foyer was brightly lit and full of life. People in all sorts of dress, some still in their evening finery while others sporting silk dressing robes, milled about, talking and laughing or grumbling to one another about White Star Line's priorities, their lifebelts thrown carelessly over their shoulders. Waiters were hopping from each group, offering brandies or other drinks, and far away from the staircase, the band was playing a lively tune.

"This…doesn't seem _right_," Lily muttered, following Petunia closely. Lucius, in an extremely ill temper, was walking ahead of them, most likely looking for Tom Riddle.

"Of course it's not right…Did you see that ghastly nightgown Helen Bishop was wearing when we passed her on the stairs?" Petunia responded, adjusting her wide-brimmed hat to a jauntier angle, as if it would matter to their peers who were wandering around in slippers and bathrobes.

"That's not what I meant…Aren't we all supposed to be up on the Boat Deck right now? Isn't that what our steward told us to do?"

"I suppose the crew is readying the boats at the moment – we'll go outside when they're ready for us. There's no sense freezing ourselves for a simple _drill_." Petunia replied, waving off Lily's concerns. It was astounding how fast her priorities could change once they were in the public eye. "Oh, _where_ did Lucius go? He has your lifebelt…Wait here Lily, I'll be back in just a moment."

Petunia bustled off in the last direction Lucius had been walking in, leaving Lily standing beside the Grand Staircase. She made a noise of irritation and sat down on the last step, out of the way of her fellow passengers.

She was surprised that they had left her alone after what she had said in the stateroom. But it would be foolish to go to the Master at Arms now – with the drill going on, he probably had his hands full, and Lucius had probably reached the same conclusion. There would be no sense in going now – she'd have to do it later, tomorrow or maybe even after the drill.

Lily wished she had just stayed in her cabin if this was all they were supposed to do, though it didn't surprise her in the least. She hadn't even followed the steward's instructions to dress warmly for she only had time to slip on a simple dress and a shawl before Lucius knocked and demanded that they leave.

"So much for a proper lifeboat drill," she muttered, closing her eyes and leaning against the staircase railing. The chatter and music were feeding a growing headache, and she wanted nothing more than to sink into a soft mattress and sleep.

Maybe she could rest here for a moment. Lucius wouldn't be around to mind and Petunia surely would let her rest for a couple minutes when she returned, as long as she was out of the way and didn't cause trouble. Besides, the drills wouldn't commence any time soon…She had the time. She'd just rest for a few –

"Miss Lily?"

Lily cracked a bleary eye open, annoyed by the interruption of her rest.

Standing on the stair above her, swamped with lifebelts, was Bill Weasley.

"Bill!" she exclaimed, genuinely surprised. Weariness forgotten momentarily, she sat up straight and turned to him. "What are you doing up here? Aren't you a steerage steward?"

Bill shook his head, the motion toppling one of the lifebelts out of his arms. He swore under his breath and bent down to pick it up.

"That's what I'm assigned, but a good portion of the crew aren't at their assigned stations. This…this drill threw a wrench into our system." He explained, carefully balancing the lifebelts on one arm as he reached for the other. "I'm supposed to up on deck readying the boats, but they decided I was too small, so now I'm handing out lifebelts and telling people to go up to the Boat Deck…A fat lot of help I am, nobody'll listen to a Weasley, even…" There was a slight quiver to his voice and he looked paler than normal. "Well, even when it's important, I suppose."

"Is…Is everything all right, Bill?" Lily asked, worried by his appearance.

The young boy shifted uncomfortably under her scrutiny. He looked around the staircase area and then, shockingly, set the lifebelts down on the stairs and quickly sat beside her.

"Nothing is all right, Miss Lily," he whispered, leaning in close to her. His face was unusually grave and suddenly, he looked very, _very_ old. "There's talk that…that the _Titanic_'s sinking, that Andrews himself said she'll be at the bottom of the ocean in a matter of _hours_…" He swallowed nervously and Lily stared at him, captivated with horror. "And it's not just talk, I swear. After that bump earlier, we woke up to find our cabin floor flooding…and one of me mates overheard Captain Smith telling the wireless blokes to send out CQD – "

"You're not serious?" she interrupted quietly, going numb with shock. "But…But I've read the newspapers, _Titanic_'s the safest thing afloat! Surely a little bump wouldn't hurt her…?"

"I _saw_ the water – and doesn't…doesn't the floor feel a bit off to you?" Bill asked desperately.

Lily nodded slowly and mumbled a feeble, "Dear God," under her breath. She looked away from him, covering her mouth in horror. This couldn't be happening…The _Titanic_, flooding? Sinking? It was impossible!

"Please, don't tell many people, Miss Lily…If there's a panic, it'll just make things worse. And…And…" Bill closed his eyes, as if he was in pain, and then continued in as stable voice as he could muster, "Don't wait to get to a lifeboat. There's only enough – "

" – for half the people on board," she finished, recalling Thomas Andrews's earlier remark on the lifeboats. A new sort of terror gripped her, an icy cold terror that froze her insides and stopped her heart.

If what Bill was saying was true, if the ship really was doomed, then…then…

Half the passengers on board were going to die.

_Half._

As she turned to Bill and looked into his eyes, she realised which half it would be and the ancient look on his face was suddenly explained. He knew who it would be as well.

"Bill – " she grabbed his arm tight, voice and limb trembling in fright.

"_Ahem_."

Lily turned away and found Lucius and Petunia staring back at her with disapproving looks on their faces. Tom Riddle and Snape (whom she hadn't seen since this afternoon) were standing a few feet behind, conversing in low tones.

"Weasley," Lucius said, directing his cold gaze on Bill. Lily felt his arm stiffen under her fingers. "Kindly remove yourself from my fiancée's side and busy yourself with your assigned duties."

Bill had the gall to glare at Lucius, but he muttered a sullen, "Yessir," and tugged his arm out of Lily's grasp. He stood, picked up his lifebelts, and turned around.

"Cavorting with a Weasley…Even I expected better from you, Miss Evans." Riddle remarked disgustedly, moving to Lucius's side as Lily stood. "Worthless, every one of them."

Lily looked over her shoulder, watching as Bill disappeared around the corner, a hollow, desperate feeling filling her.

_Half_.

* * *

Er… 

Long time, no see, eh? Sorry for the incredibly _long_ wait for this chapter – winter just isn't a good season for writing, I think. I can promise you, however, that you will not have to wait a terribly long time for Chapter Twenty – I've already started and know exactly what I want in it this time. I was going to post Twenty and Nineteen all in one go, but then I realised that April was creeping closer and I wasn't making any heavy advancements on Twenty, so here we are. This is the unbetaed version (told her not to rush because of Chapter Twenty, gah) and I will have the beta version up soon.

Once again, sorry, sorry, SORRY about the wait, but please do review…thirty-some more reviews and I'll hit three hundred! And remember, visit my livejournal and all that fun stuff.


	20. Chapter Twenty

**Author's notes:** This chapter was brought to you in a quick and orderly manner mostly because my family decided to drive all the way from South Dakota down to Arizona this past week and my father graciously decided to bring his laptop along with him. Seeing as though Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico do not have the most interesting scenery, I was bored out of my skull and pretty much no distractions. But this laptop only had two hours of battery service (not even) and I had to conserve time wisely, so not much was accomplished the first driving days nor while we were in Phoenix because I was busying myself with a getting a tan so I don't look horrendous in my prom dress. Then, my wonderful and glorious father bought a power converter for the drive back home and I could use the laptop as long as I wanted. Muwahahaha. Thus, completed _and _betaed chapter.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter or any references to James Cameron's _Titanic_.

**Chapter Twenty**

_12:30 AM_

_R.M.S Titanic_

Second Wireless Operator Harold Bride hovered anxiously behind John Phillips, resisting the urge to lean over his shoulder and read what he was scribbling with his stubby pencil. Phillips had stopped dictating messages to him a few minutes ago, concentrating on a conversation with a particular ship, and had stopped tapping messages in return too, thus leaving Bride in the dark as to what was taking place over the wire.

They had made contact with several ships, including _Titanic__'s_ sister ship _Olympic_, and although many were preparing to come and help, most were too far away to be of any help. The _Olympic__'s_ position was at least five hundred miles away from theirs!

The last message Phillips had ground out had been an angry: "Come at once! We've struck a berg!" He was currently listening to their response, an unreadable expression on his face. Half the responding ships didn't seem to understand the seriousness of the situation.

Suddenly, Phillips threw off his headphones and thrust the piece of paper he'd been writing on at Bride.

"The _Carpathia_ says she'll come; she'll make twenty-seven knots at full steam and she's fifty-eight miles away," he explained in a rush of breath. Bride took the card, staring at it. "Took me a bit to get the message across – the idiot on the other side was asking me how our sailing was…clearly wasn't listening at _all_ – "

"She'll be here in four hours then," Bride interrupted, doing the calculations in his head. "Do you think…I mean, will the ship stay afloat that long?"

Phillips shrugged, reaching for his headset again.

"At least she's coming, right? She's much closer than the rest of this lot," he said, swatting the pile of messages from other ships.

"What about the _Californian_?" Bride asked, remembering the exchange they'd had earlier in the evening. The other operator had interrupted the Cape Race work and earned Phillips's wrath in response. "That spark was nearly on top of us, I could hear it halfway across the room…Couldn't they…?"

"I think they've shut off their headset," Phillips said uneasily. "Anyway, the _Carpathia__'s_ our best hope until the _Californian_ decides to get back on the line. Would you run that to the captain for me so I can keep sending messages?"

Bride nodded and made a move toward the door, paper in hand. He paused in the corridor, remembering something they had discussed before, and turned, leaning around the door.

"Oy, Phillips!"

The other operator pulled off one ear on the headset and turned expectantly.

"Why don't you try out that new distress call…whatsit called, SOS?" Bride suggested, gesturing at the wireless set with a tight grin. "Might be our only chance to use it, you know."

* * *

_12:34 AM_

"Oooh, I'm not taking one step on _that_ thing," Mrs. Dursley sniffed, staring disdainfully at the lifeboat they had gathered in front of. She turned to Lucius, a pitiful expression on her face. "It looks quite unsafe…can't we just stay on the ship?"

Tom resisted the urge to roll his eyes, though if the circumstances had been any different – if this were actually a drill – he might've agreed with her and demanded to stay on board _Titanic_. But Mrs. Dursley didn't know what he knew…

Severus hadn't told her what he'd overheard below decks; she hadn't read Thomas Andrews's expression when he'd passed by in daze in the foyer. She didn't know that within in a few hours that this ship would become a death trap, that she was turning up her nose at one of her only means to get off alive.

He didn't understand this chivalrous nonsense Captain Smith and his officers were pulling, only letting women and children on board first. The men – the first class men, anyway – should have an equal chance of taking a seat on a lifeboat, especially considering half the women on the Boat Deck would rather stay on board the ship. Just because women were weak little things didn't mean that they needed priority seating.

"I need women and children only, please!" Second Officer Charles Lightoller called, waving people over to his boat. Despite that the first of the boats were ready, very few passengers were out on the Boat Deck. Most were still inside in the Grand Staircase foyer, avoiding the cold as long as possible. Tom was certainly glad he had followed his steward's advice and bundled up.

He couldn't say the same for others in his group. Beside him, Evans's teeth were chattering most annoyingly. Lucius had noticed this too and had pulled her into a tight embrace, giving off the impression that he was trying to keep her warm. Most likely, he was trying to keep her from running off.

"Don't worry, Petunia," Evans said in a falsely cheerful tone, reaching out a hand and touching her sister's arm. "I'm sure the lifeboats are safe. They wouldn't be putting us on them if they weren't."

Tom glanced at her again, noticing the fear in her green eyes. So Evans knew too. The Weasley whelp had probably told her while they were getting cosy on the staircase. Her sister was the only one in their group who did not know what was happening then, and that was probably for the best. Mrs. Dursley would be the first to panic if she knew what was truly going on. Tom had to give Evans credit, however – she, in failing at everything else, could at least keep a cool head when faced with a crisis.

"Yes, well…" Petunia trailed off, watching as the crew began helping the first of the women on board. She shuddered dramatically, probably thinking about doing that herself.

"Oh, Tom! There you are!"

Tom turned. Approaching from the stern was Lacerta Black, dressed in many furs and wearing a hat almost as ridiculously large as Mrs. Dursley's. Behind her, Regulus trailed, and the oldest Black brother was not in sight.

"Lacerta," he said, kissing the back of her hand in greeting. "Wonderful evening, isn't it?"

"_Morning_, Tom," she corrected, laughing and looping her arm with his. "I suppose you haven't seen my wayward son either, have you? Regulus has gone and lost him."

This question surprised Tom. Lacerta usually ignored Sirius at every opportunity. He shook his head and she sighed.

"Oh, that boy! I never know where he is…I didn't see him at luncheon and he wasn't in his stateroom. Do you think he knows about the lifeboat drill?"

"Don't worry, Mum," Regulus said, before Tom had the chance to reply. He laid a hand on his mother's shoulder and leaned down to kiss her on the cheek. "I'll find him."

Regulus then turned to Tom and, looking slightly embarrassed, asked, "Would you mind watching over my mother until my brother and I return? I think it would make her feel better if she had company."

Tom looked down at Lacerta, who was busy eyeing Evans and Lucius with much distaste. She didn't look worried yet, but her sons - even Sirius - meant the world to her. If they didn't show up, especially if things started getting bad, Tom was sure she'd break down into hysterics…If she became _too_ distraught, there was a chance that she'd need someone to escort her onto a lifeboat, someone she knew –

"It would be my pleasure, Regulus," Tom responded, a slow grin spreading across his face.

Regulus nodded, looking pleased, and turned to his mother again.

"Sirius and I will be back in time to see you off."

Lacerta waved him away, saying something about how Regulus had always been such a good boy. Tom did not listen and watched as Regulus melted into the crowd beginning to form astern.

If he had any say about it, Lacerta would never see either of her boys again.

_

* * *

_

_12:38 AM_

Sirius and Remus had passed many other gates on their way to the main stairwell, but all were locked and would remain so. Some people had gathered at those gates, imploring the stewards on the other side to let them through, but the stewards would having none of it, directing them back to the main stairwell.

Many believed, Remus included, that the main gates would be open then and they would be able to head to safety.

There was no such luck.

Since they had arrived, more and more people had crowded into the stairwell, carrying their possessions and hoping to gain passage to the upper decks this way. The gates, however, remained locked and the three stewards on the other side were telling all the passengers to calm down and wait until everything above decks was ready.

Remus was at the bottom of the steps, leaning against the wall, his small bag at his feet. Sirius had insisted on being in the middle of the crush of people on the stairs, but Remus would have none of that madness and said he'd wait where he could actually breathe.

Sirius, already fed-up with the way this operation was going, jumped straight into the crowd and started shoving his way up to the top, mostly likely to vent his spleen on one of the stewards. He had disappeared from sight a few minutes ago, but Remus was sure that he was near the top.

"Please, everyone, you must stay calm!" the voice of the leading steward floated down the stairwell. Remus snorted. His fellow passengers, aside from some very loud grumblings, were _completely_ calm. The steward was clearly overreacting. "It's not time to go up to the boats yet!"

Across the foyer, Remus could see Sigrid, heavily bundled and wearing a lifebelt, surrounded by her father and brothers. She caught Remus's eye and he waved. She smiled, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder, but made no move toward him.

Briefly, Remus wondered where James was. His anger at James had faded the moment Sirius had told him about the flooding – how could he stay mad at James for completely stupid reason when something this serious was happening?

Surely, Remus figured, if the ship _were_ critically damaged, the Master at Arms wouldn't leave him locked up at the bottom of the ship. That would simply be inhumane.

Perhaps James was already up on the Boat Deck, trying to find him or Sirius. Maybe the Master at Arms was using the 'criminals' he had arrested to help load boats. Maybe James had escaped – he had to have taken his lock-picking tools this morning. Maybe, maybe, _maybe_…

Wherever he was, Remus hoped with all his heart that it _wasn__'t_ in the lonely little Master at Arms office with no means of escape.

_

* * *

_

_12:41 AM_

After reaching the top of the staircase and staring out from behind the locked gates, Sirius was unimpressed with the White Star Line hands keeping him locked below decks. The steward in charge was a small man, who was quickly growing frightened as the stairwell below continued to fill with people. The two crewmembers assisting him were no better, paling as the curious inquires of passengers began changing into outraged shouts and demands.

"Open the bloody gate!"

"Let us out!"

"I don't understand – why can't we go up?"

These cries were only coming from some of the passengers, mostly the ones close enough to the gate and those growing frustrated with the head steward. Sirius was one of those people, but he had already been furious as he had elbowed his way up the stairwell.

How could the captain issue such an order, locking passengers down below when the ship was in danger? How could the crew treat paying passengers like animals, throwing lifebelts at them, herding them into cramped corridors like this, and not even explaining the situation properly to them?

Sirius was absolutely positive that his mother and brother would know what was happening. They were probably up on deck, in line for a lifeboat right now, socialising and laughing with their friends, wearing warm coats. They were probably being shown how to put their lifebelts on properly. They wouldn't have to wait for the other passengers to fill up the limited space in the lifeboats.

Like Lily, Sirius had listened to Thomas Andrews during most of their tour earlier today. He remembered, almost too vividly, Andrews casually mentioning that there weren't enough lifeboats for half on board.

That was the thought that had first run across his mind when he had seen those people run by with their trouser legs soaked. If something were wrong with the ship, only half the passengers would get off safely.

He hadn't told Remus this – there had been no time, no proper place. He couldn't very well blurt out that there weren't enough lifeboats for everyone in the middle of a crowded corridor. He'd cause a panic and that was the last thing anyone – even this pompous steward – needed right now.

"Excuse me," Sirius said, raising his voice. "But do you think you could open the gates now?"

The steward looked, most likely surprised to hear a cultured tone among the unwashed masses. His gaze moved downward, taking in everything from Sirius's rumpled designer suit to the gold pin stuck in his lapel to his shined leather shoes. The steward's face turned as white as he shirt.

"Muh – Muh – Mr. Black, sir!" His exclamation was loud, and Sirius winced. The stairwell quieted and the balding English passenger standing next to him understandably stiffened. It wasn't everyday that you got to stand next to a member of the infamous Black family. "What…What are you doing here, in steerage?"

The steward seemed not altogether shocked. The practice of "slumming" was quite common among his peers, who thought the steerage passengers were too dull to tell the difference.

"That's none of your concern, I think," Sirius responded. Though his tone was quiet, his voice echoed ominously throughout the stairwell. "Do you mind opening the gates? I've had about enough of White Star Line's so-called service tonight."

"Y – Yes! Certainly, sir!"

Sirius felt a stirring of relief in his belly. He glad for once that throwing around his name and status was a benefit to others and not an embarrassment to himself.

The relief, however, lasted only a moment.

Sirius glanced at the balding man next to him. Instead of appearing relieved or even grateful, the man glared hatefully at him. He looked around, noticing the other passengers were glaring similarly or sharing a contemptuous whisper. Sirius couldn't understand why, until the steward spoke again.

"Here, move aside, you! Step back, we need to let a first class passenger through!"

They were opening the gates, but they were only going to let him through.

_Only_ him.

A great wave of indignation ripped through Sirius and, gripping the gate tight in his grasp, he demanded, "What are you doing?"

The steward stopped mid-wave, surprised once again.

"I – I'm opening the gates, sir, just like you – "

"You're only opening the gate for _me_."

The stairwell seemed even more cramped than before – he could hear every baited breath from those behind him, he could feel all the eyes focused on the back of his neck. This only made his determination stronger.

"Yes. That's what you requested, isn't it?"

"No," Sirius said slowly, making sure he got the point this time. "I asked you to open the gate for everyone."

Sirius caught the balding man's shoulders soften just a bit out of the corner of his eye, and he was sure the other stares suddenly became less hateful. The steward looked over his shoulder at his two lackeys, both of whom shrugged.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Black, sir," the steward said, turning back. "I have my orders…I'm not to open the gates until the captain gives the command."

"But you'll let _me_ through?"

"Yes, if that's what you want – "

"That's _not_ what I want, goddamn it!" Sirius interrupted, his fury exploding. He shook the gates as hard as he could, wishing that he were shaking the steward instead. "I don't want to be let out if I have to leave everyone else down here behind! I have friends down here! Let us all out, _right now_!"

"Mr. Black, please remain calm! I can do nothing until - "

Sirius drew himself up to his full height and glowered. He swore he saw the steward tremble just a bit.

"_Nothing_? You bloody well can do something! No one else on this damned ship is locked below like animals! Shouldn't we all have a chance?"

The steward's feeble attempts to explain were drowned out by cries of agreement from the other passengers. Sirius's outburst had ignited the fires burning in the men and women standing next to him. More began to demand to be let out while others followed his example and shook the gates.

Instead of slinking back in fright, the trio on the other side seemed to be emboldened by this show of defiance and grew more forceful in their denials. One ran off to get more reinforcements while the other ducked away for a moment and reappeared with an axe.

Sirius realised then, as he glared down at the steward, that this was going to be a tougher fight than either he or Remus had anticipated. Not for the first time, he wished that James had let his tools collect dust at the bottom of his trunk.

_

* * *

_

_12:45 AM_

Unfortunately for both Remus and Sirius, James _was_ in that lonely little office with no hope of escape and was completely incapable of using his lock picking tools, which had been stored away in one of the Master's cabinets.

He had the means, but escape at this point seemed futile, considering the only two other occupants in the room were another man chained to the same pipe and a sadistic undertaker with a gun, who was currently amusing himself by rolling a bullet continuously down the sloping desktop.

James had been morbidly fascinated with this activity when the undertaker had first started. It was completely shocking, watching that bullet roll down a surface that had been completely level an hour before. The slope only seemed to get steeper and their situation more and more dire as minutes passed.

Until that bullet had rolled down the desk, James had refused to believe what Snape had told him. The _Titanic_ couldn't be sinking – she was safest piece of machinery afloat and it was her maiden voyage too! It was so improbable that it couldn't be the truth.

But then that bullet had rolled and James knew, with a sudden terror, that this was no lie.

_Snape had been right!_

Now James knew it just wasn't his imagination that was making him feel the gentle sloping of the chair beneath his feet or hear the increasingly louder groans from below or see the tiny bit of water lapping just at the edge of the porthole.

_Titanic_ was sinking, and if their situations didn't improve within the next hour, he and Jack would be having a very watery meeting with the Grim Reaper –

_No!_

James was not going to die like _this_, betrayed by _her_ and forgotten by those he held most dear, and he wouldn't let Jack go that way either. He would escape this death trap, no matter what. He'd find Sirius and Remus, and together they'd find away up to the top decks. If death were to be his destiny tonight, he would die with his friends by his side.

_Not like this_.

If the undertaker would just leave, they could escape. James had a plan, he had all the means, he knew exactly how to do it – but he couldn't do it with him watching them! His entire plan hinged on the undertaker's departure and every minute he spent rolling that damn bullet was a minute closer to their doom.

"You know," the undertaker spoke at last in a drawling tone. James's head perked up. The undertaker let his bullet roll one last time before snapping it up and loading it into his pistol. "I do believe this ship is going to sink."

If that wasn't the understatement of the century, James didn't know what was.

_

* * *

_

_12:48 AM_

Lucius wasn't sure when he had last held Lily like this. It certainly hadn't been in any recent weeks and, if it had, their embrace had been a brief, cold affair. It was still cold tonight, but Lily's head was resting against his chest and his arm was wrapped around her shoulders. There was no question to the passerby whom she belonged to - this was her place, not beside that wretch, Potter.

He had first taken her into his arms as a precaution. She had threatened to run back to Potter - even after he was proven to be a criminal! - and he was taking no chances. As much as she had angered and embarrassed him, he still had her safety foremost in his mind and he'd be damned if he let her run off on her own on a sinking ship.

Her ceaseless shivering had been another cause for their embrace. She had forgotten to bring a coat and her teeth had been chattering loudly. After Tom shot him an annoyed look, he pulled Lily toward him to pacify him. Lucius had been expecting Lily to resist and create a scene, but she calmly accepted his embrace and burrowed into his arms for warmth and security.

Like the other women on the deck, she was probably frightened of boarding a lifeboat. Lucius didn't like the idea of sending his fiancée out in the middle of the dark ocean in that little craft any more than she probably liked the idea of getting on it in the first place.

Severus had told both him and Tom what he'd heard below decks, about the ship flooding, perhaps even sinking. Lucius didn't believe that the ship was sinking. Flooding, maybe, but _Titanic_ was a marvel of technology. All the articles he had read on her all said the same thing - she was unsinkable. She could stay afloat with several compartments flooded.

But, once again, he was taking no chances with Lily's life. If there were even the slimiest chance that she might be in danger by staying on board the grand steamer, he'd get her off as soon as possible.

And once she was gone, he could figure out a way to get on a boat himself. Just like Tom, he was disgusted with this 'women and children only' nonsense. There was enough room in the little crafts for both men and women, he was sure.

Lucius glanced around. Tom and Lacerta had bunkered down on a set of deck chairs nearby, watching the other passengers being loaded and seemingly unconcerned by the activity going around them. As he watched, Lacerta waved off the attempts of an officer trying to persuade her into boarding.

"Excuse me," Lucius called, garnering the officer's attention. "But will there be any room for a gentlemen on this boat?"

"Not on this one, sir," the officer replied with a thick accent. "But I expect you'll be able to board another one quite soon. Might want to try the starboard side, though."

Lucius nodded his thanks. In the background, Second Officer Lightoller called out for more women and children. Lucius gave Lily a small little push – it was now or never.

* * *

Lily hated standing here, in a public place, embracing Lucius. It felt wrong on so many levels and it was not because they were expressing emotion where everyone else could see them. It was because they had been fighting just moments before, because she didn't love Lucius any more, because she knew she fit so much better in the arms of James Potter. Every moment she stood there, letting Lucius hold her, was a new betrayal to James. How could she just stand her while he was locked below?

But she'd had few other options. Either it was shrug away his arms and risk his wrath again, or freeze before she could be of any help.

She had to do something and soon. Lucius had moved closer to the lifeboat, intending to place both her and Petunia on the little thing. Lily was terrified about stepping on one of those boats - terrified that with that one step, she would lose everyone she knew and loved on _Titanic_, that her life would change again and she would have no hand in the direction it swung. She couldn't take one step on that boat, even though Bill's warning rang sharply in her head. If she didn't take a spot on one of those boats, she was giving up her chance at surviving tonight.

Yet, would surviving be worth it if James would not be at her side? Would she able to live with herself, not knowing James's fate and always wondering what she could've done differently? Would surviving be worth that pain?

Lily didn't think so. She had to do all she could to save James.

"Get behind your sister, Lily," Lucius instructed, letting go of her suddenly. Surprised, she stared at him, not moving, until he placed gentle hands on her shoulders, turned her around, and shoved her in front of him.

He had put her in the very short line for the lifeboats. There were five women in front of her, including her sister, and one was being loaded at this moment. She couldn't - not now -

She turned back around and gripped Lucius's overcoat tight.

"No! I can't!"

One of his eyebrows rose inquisitively. "Why not?"

"Because I...I…" she stumbled for a response. "I need to go back to my stateroom! You can't possibly expect me to go out on one of those things without a coat! I'll freeze!"

He looked convinced by her plea. His eyebrow fell back into place and a thoughtful expression crossed his face. Lily closed her eyes, hoping beyond hope -

"You can have mine."

She opened her eyes and watched as he pulled off his heavy overcoat and placed it around her shoulders. She was torn at being furious with him and shocked at his generous behaviour. Wasn't he supposed to be mad at her?

"Lucius – I – "

Her search for another excuse was interrupted by the hassle her sister was making about boarding the lifeboat. In the short time that Lily had been talking with Lucius, the crew had already loaded four women!

"Come on, miss...Into the boat."

Lily turned, just as Petunia tugged her arm away from a startled crewman. Lightoller threw the man a dirty look and started over to smooth Petunia's ruffled feathers.

"Excuse my crew's behaviour, Mrs…?"

"Dursley," Petunia sniffed.

"Mrs. Dursley, but I strongly insist that you board this lifeboat."

Petunia looked at Lightoller for a long moment and then glanced over her shoulder at Lily and Lucius, a long-suffering long on her face. "Must I, Lucius?"

Out of curiosity, Lily stepped out of line and leaned closer to the edge of the ship. Between the ship and the lifeboat was a gap that opened up to the dark water far below. It was no wonder why Petunia was hesitant about stepping aboard – the drop frightened Lily herself, but she, of course, would not be boarding.

"It's for the best, Petunia," Lucius said, nodding impatiently.

She sighed and then surrendered her arm. Lightoller guided her personally toward the edge, muttering some words of encouragement to her. Just as Petunia was preparing to step aboard, light exploded over the deck. Several passengers cried out in alarm and Lily glanced up, missing her sister's descent into the boat.

The remains of a white rocket rained down from the black sky over the bow of the ship, fading elegantly before it hit the water. It reminded her of falling stars, like the one she and James had wished on the other night –

"Distress rockets," Lucius remarked from behind, hand settling on her shoulder. "I suppose you were right, Severus...The ship must be in trouble."

"I hope you didn't think I would lie to you about such matters, Lucius."

"Of course not...Pity, isn't it? If I had known this was going to happen, I wouldn't have had to go through all that trouble of framing that boy...But at least I know he'll be out of the way for good now."

For a complete moment, Lily's heart stopped beating. She whipped around, her chest heaving with emotion and her eyes wide.

"You – _you – _" Her voice and shoulders shook with disbelief and a sudden, all consuming anger. Lucius stared down at her, his startling compassion gone as soon as it had come, his expression unreadable. "You utter _bastard_! How could you? _How could you_?" She shoved him hard in the chest, wanting to make him hurt, wanting him to feel half the pain that he had caused her. "You foul, you _evil _– "

He had framed James! He'd done it and she, like a fool, had believed him! Hate flowed through her and she shoved him again.

Lucius was ready this time though. He grabbed her hands and pulled her close to him again. To anyone else on the deck, it looked like they were sharing a passionate goodbye, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. Lucius's grip on her wrists was painful and his glare was lethal.

"Yes, I did it. I framed your beau - I was going to have him killed once we got to New York, but it looks as though the Atlantic Ocean will be doing the job for me," he said calmly, as if he was talking about something as mundane as the weather. "Severus has just informed me that the lower decks are flooding…Do you know what that means, Lily? Your precious Potter is going to drown in a matter of minutes from now. He's going to die, trapped and alone, believing that you hate him." Lily shook her head, trying to block out his horrible, smug voice. "And there's nothing you can do about it. Absolutely _nothing_, do you hear me?"

"You're wrong. I can do something, if you'd just _let go of me_!" she replied, trying to pull out of his tightening grasp.

"I apologise, darling, but I can't do that. I have your safety in mind. I don't think Potter would want you risking your own life to save his any more than _I_ want you to." Lucius took a step forward, forcing Lily backwards. "He and you both will appreciate this in the future, I promise."

He gave her a hard shove and she stumbled backwards – right into the arms of two waiting crewman. Gripping her by the upper arms, they wheeled her around toward the lifeboat.

"_Lucius_!" she cried, now truly panicked. She glared over her shoulder at him. "You can't do this to me! You can't – _please_ – ! Put me down, I don't want to get on – No!"

The crew ignored her cries and hoisted her bodily over the gap between _Titanic _and the lifeboat. Once her feet touched the bottom, the two men let go. She stumbled into a seat next to her sister in the back of the lifeboat, raising cries from the other women as the boat rocked perilously. Recovering instantly, Lily desperately stood and lunged for the edge –

"Lily!" Petunia shrieked, grabbing her by the wrist and dragging her down again, hard. Petunia's grasp was almost was painful as Lucius's. "_What are you doing_?"

"Let go, Petunia! I have to get back on board – " she said, tears leaking down her cheeks. "You don't understand...James – Lucius framed him – "

"Of course he did," Petunia replied carelessly, adjusting the brim of her hat.

Lily stopped struggling and stared at her sister in horror. She could barely hear Lightoller's barked orders over the sound of her own harsh breathing.

"You...you knew? You knew he did this and…and _you didn't tell me_?"

Petunia sniffed and shifted. "Who do you think told him about your meeting this morning? I couldn't just stand by and let you toss away your future for some worthless London pickpocket."

Lily couldn't bear to listen to more; she covered her ears and screwed up her eyes, trying to stem her steady flow of tears. Her own sister had known and had had a part in this deception! She'd let Lucius break her heart and tried to act concerned about her later! How could she? What kind of person was she?

The lifeboat jerked and Lily heard the muffled sound of ropes creaking. She pulled her hands away and looked up. The crew on the deck was cranking the ropes on either side of the lifeboat through their pulleys. They were lowering away already! The boat gave another unsteady lurch, eliciting shrieks from some of the other women, and sank a foot below the deck.

Lucius came by the edge of the deck and stared down at her, a smirk gracing his lips. He waved, looking like a demon dressed in a fine dining suit.

"See you in the morning, darling," he called.

Lily gulped down a sob as the lifeboat descended lower, light and hope fading with each lurch. She was leaving James, just as she had left him hours ago. She felt as though her heart had been ripped in two; by taking this seat, she was condemning James to death.

Tears blurred her vision as she stared longingly at the Boat Deck, now far above her head. Another distress rocket burst into the sky, illuminating Lucius's outline. She glanced away, refusing to look at him a moment longer. There was no one on earth she hated more than Lucius Malfoy.

And then, she saw it.

Possibility.

The edge of the lifeboat was just nearing the open Promenade on B-deck.

Cold air rushed into her lungs as she watched they descended even closer to the deck and her thoughts were suddenly very, very clear. She knew what she had to do, consequences be damned. Wiping her tears away, Lily steeled herself and stood.

The other women on board and some of the men allowed on cried out in alarm, but the boat did not stop moving. They were now even with the Promenade.

Petunia grabbed the back of her coat and, sounding fearful, echoed an earlier demand, "What are you doing, Lily?"

She turned to her sister, wrenching her coat out of her grasp, and said calmly, "Throwing away my future…Goodbye, Petunia."

She lunged.

The boat rocked, Petunia screamed in terror, and Lily Evans jumped.

* * *

I think we've already established that I am completely evil.

Thank you all for reading and reviewing! I have now hit over 300 reviews and 8000 views and it's all because of you! So thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!

I'll try to have Chapter Twenty-One up soon. While on that horrific car ride, I planned out the next five chapters and started on the next, but work on NoE has been pushed aside because I'm writing another, quick Lily/James one-shot that is incredibly less fluffy than my last few fics. I decided that there wasn't enough pointless snogging between the two of them on this website. Anyway, be on the lookout for it soon and PLEASE REVIEW!

Thanks again!


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